of Achor as the enterance at the door of Hope unto that Mercy that they should injoy from him in the Land of Canaan That this Valley of Achor was a delightful fruitful Valley it appears evidently from that Text in Esa 65.10 And Sharon shal be a Field of flocks and the Valley of Achor a place for the Heards to lie down in for my people that have sought me Here God promises the Valley of Achor as a blessing to the people that did seek him and the Heards should lie down in it it was a very fruitful place and therefore God maketh such a promise Now though it hath the name of trouble yet we find that God promiseth it to his people as a token of his Mercy and so it is to be understood in these words therefore having the meaning of it now we come to the Doctrinal Conclusion that is to be grounded upon this Scripture thus opened unto you the Doctrine then is this Doct. That the Mercies that God bestows upon his Church and his people are doors of hope to future Mercies Present Mercies that God grants unto his people are doors of hope to future Mercies Al Gods Mercies to his Saints are inlets unto further Mercies This is the high priviledge of the Saints of God it belongs not to every one The wicked indeed when they receive any thing from God they may write their Ne plus ultra upon it this is like to be their PORTION and they may wonder that they have any thing at al but the Mercies of God unto his people may be al called doors of hope the name of Joseph may be written upon them as we may read in Genesis 30.24 When Rachel had once conceived and did bear a Son shee called his name Joseph and said The Lord shal add another when she had one she made it a pledge of another the Lord shal another So it is with Gods mercies to his people they are Josephs may conclude that God shal add another when God delivered his people out of Egypt Exod. 13.15 saith Moses Thou hast guided them unto thy holy habitation thou hast guided them that deliverance Moses tooke as a certain Argument of Gods further Mercy toward them thou hast guided them When God did but begin with David in 2 Sam. 5.12 to shew but a little Mercy an outward Mercy to him David did conclude that God had established him in the Kingdome How so God had shewed a great favor outwardly unto David and David could conclude that that favor he did receive was bur an inlet unto more an argument of establishment of him in his Kingdome God hath delivered and he wil deliver saith the Apostle As God maketh way in his wrath by lesser judgements upon the wicked in Psal 78.45 so God maketh way for his Mercy by present lesser Mercies unto his Children But now in the prosecution of this point we shal discover to you 1. The Reasons of it how this cometh to pass 2. We shal answer a question about Gods interuption of his Mercies 3 Discover unto you how we shal come to know when Gods present Mercies are but preparations unto future Mercies what kinds of Mercies those are and how to be known that are but inlets unto other Mercies And then 4. Come to the Uses of the Doctrine that Gods Mercies to his pâ—ople are but in-lets unto greater Reason 1. That cometh hence because of the fulness of mercy that is in God there is such an infinite Ocean and stream and treasure of Mercy in the Lord that hence it is that when it cometh and beginneth to run unto the Saints to the people of God that the beginnings of it are but preparations to let out more the Scripture saith that God doth delight in mercy in Micah 7.18 now that that a man delighteth in if he once begin that that he doth is but to draw on more Gods Mercies are called his Riches God is rich in Mercy the Wisdome of God the Power of God and the Justice of God are not called Gods Riches they are called his Glory I wil make my Glory to passe by and God proclaims his Mercy now then because the Mercies of God are his delight his Riches his Glory when he hath fit subjects to let out these upon when he beginneth once to let them out these beginnings are Testimonies of a Fountain that is to be communicated Reason 2. Al Gods Mercies to his people they come out of love Amor nescit nimium Love knows not too much it knows not any such expression as too much there is nothing too much for Love Love it must not be limited if Love begin to be shewn that that cometh out of Love wâ—l have no bounds Now al the goodnesse that God shews to his people it cometh out of Love out of infinite Love and therefore one Fruit of goodness is but a drawing on of another Indeed when Gods goodness cometh out of general bounty then it is in another manner it stops soon but when it comerh out of intire Love the infinite Love of God it stoppeth not But Thirdly There is another Argument that added to these two maketh it strong indeed and that is Reason 3. That the goodness of God unto his peopel is a fruit of the covenant it cometh not only out of love but it cometh unto them as the fruit of an everlasting covenant that God hath made with them a sure covenant now in the covenant of grace that God hath made with his people there is a connection of al mercies a concatination of al the goodness of God there the treasure of mercy is in the covenant and an exceeding strength of mercy in the covenant to bear down al hindrances and oppositions there mercy is tied unto them by truth and as we read of the covenant between Jonathan and david in 1 Sam 20 15. That David made a covenant with Johnathan that he would never cut off his loving kindness from him nor from his house after him such a covenant hath God made with al his people that he wil never cut off his loving kindness from them he hath made no such covenant with the wicked no God may shew them some favour for the present yet he hath not made a covenant that he wil never cut off his mercy from them you may have abundance of favours this day but you may have them eternally cut off from you but the saints of God are in such a blessed condition as God doth not only shew them mercy for the present but he hath made a covenant with them never to cut off his loving kindness from them and upon this covenant though there he many weaknesses and many distempers in them frailties and infirmities yet God wil never cut off his loving kindness from them Reason 4. Because that the Goodness of God to his people as it cometh from an eternal fountain so it is let out for the accomplishments of eternal ends
ages that are now gone and their Souls are triumphing in Heaven I say that that is the Harvest of al their prayers surely cannot be one single Mercy but is a Mercy to let in others it is a Mercy that is a door of hope to further Mercies and that is the Third Note Again Fourthly a Fourth Note of a Mercy that is a making way to further Mercies is this The Fourth Discovery whether Gods present Mercies be in-lets to future Mercies That Mercy that leads us to the God of Mercy is certainly an inlet to further Mercies whatsoever it is that leads our Souls to the God of Mercy we may conclude that this Mercy wil bring abundant good with it I must not build upon divers Sccriptures only read that of David in 2 Sam. 7. the whole Chapter you may read at your leisure how Gods Mercy to him lead him to the God of Mercy upon which there was such a promise of continuance of Mercy for so long a time The fift Discovery whether Gods present Mercies be in-lets of future Mercies That Mercy I beseech you observe it that is to a Soul to a people an ingagement to duty is certainly a door of more Mercy whatsoever Mercy God bestows upon you in particular or upon a Nation if the Mercy be made an engagement to Duty certaitnly it is a door to more Mercy take it thus As so we may when we do account our duties to be Mercies then our duties wil hold so when Gods Mercies are turned into duties then Gods Mercies wil hold it is a most infallible sign of one that wil persevere in duty that wil never fail If thou wouldest know whether thou art like to persevere in duty or no O! I am afraid I shal fall off saysome O! if I were sure that I should persevere to the end it would comfort me Would you have an infalliable sign that your duties wil hold to the end take this for one If thy Soul looke upon every duty as a Mercy to thee every command to a duty as Gods Mercy to thee every day thus I dare pawn my soul that soul wil persevere so far as any soul shal account a duty to be a Mercy so far that soul shal persevere As it is a certain Evidence of perseverance in duty when a duty is accounted a Mercy so I say it is a cerain Evidence that there wil be a perseverance in Mercy when Mercy is turned into duty when Mercy shal be an engagement to duty and turns into duty then it is a certain sign there wil be a perseverance in mercy as when duty is accounted mercy there wil be a persevernce in duty Again another may be this The Sixt discovery whether Gods present mercyes be in-lets to future mercies That mercy that humbleth the heart that mercy is an in-let to further mercy And it is very observable that place in Sam. 2 7. you may read that Chapter in two or three several places when God had promised to David great things marke you Davids spirit was as low then never lower what am I saith David and David cries out Thou art great O Lord he crieth not out thou hast made me great but thou art great O Lord and in the 26. verse Let thy name be magnified for ever he was low in his own spirit What am I but let thy name be magnified for ever Davids heart was not taken up about this Oh! God hath promised to me a perpetual Kingdome unto my posterity and now I am great and God hath magnified me no but what am I and let thy name be magnified and be thou great O Lord. When this shal be the frame of a soule of a people when God advanceth them in a way of Mercy and they cry out Oh! let me be low and be any thing so Gods name be magnified certainly this Mercy is a fore-runner of further mercy As it is a great argument of the strength of faith and acceptable to God when as in one adversity when God seems to come out against him that a guilty heart can beleeve and the heart can be raised and not sinke in the depth of adversity I beseech you observe it as when the heart can rise in the depth of adversity it is a stronge argument that there is an enduring faith and a pretious faith so when the heart can fal in the height of prosperity and be low there is abundance of grace in that soul acceptable to God and God intendeth much good to it The seventh discovery Whether Gods present mercies be in-lets to future mercies When as we are careful to consecrate the first fruits of our Mercies to God when the first fruits of the good we do receive are ever consecrated to God then it is but an inlet of further Mercies for so it was here This vally of Achon you know it was by Jerico as an evidence unto them that they should have al the Land of Canan now what did they at Jericho they did devote al to God the whole City to God with the suburbs of it were devoted to God they consecrated the first fruites of Canan at their entering into Canan where Jericho was and this valey of Acon was just by it when God did begin to give them possession of that good land they did devote the first fruits to God and so it became an evidence to them that they should possesse the Good land afterwards So when God beginneth in a way of mercy and goodness then if a people or family or particular man or woman begineth to devote that first fruit of mercy to God it is evident it is a doore of hope of further Mercy Thus I have done with the explication I am sory I have no more time for the application I wil passe over things as briefly as I can it is the last of al I most intend for the First therefore USE 1. If this be so that Gods Mercies and even present Mercies are inlets to future when God is in a way of Mercy then his people may expect greater to follow hence folows this consequence upon it that therefore those men and women that are only careful to seeke God in time of affliction are much mistaken and it is a vile wretched folly for any to thinke that that is the only time to seeke God the time of affliction that is confuted from this point thus for if when God is in a way of mercy then Gods people they argue that more mercy is coming then this follows that when God is in a way of mercy then it is a fit time to pray to him that is the fittest time to pray to him when God is in a way of goodness and Mercy to them when Mercy is comming then it is a time for thee to be praying But now the case is quite cross in the world they wil pray to God indeed when when God hath them at the advantage in a time of sickness and affliction and
God in a way of mercy to thy family to thy body to thy soul at any time now take heed to thy selfe that thy iniquity be not discovered for now wil the devil come and tempt thee to break out in some notorious sin that he might cut off the way of Gods Grace that he might shut that door of mercy that God is now opening to thee in Zacharie 8 15.16 Saith God there So again have I thought in these daies to do wel unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah feare you not mark you what follows and let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour and love no false oathes for al these things are the things that I hate saith the Lord mark the expression of God it doth very nearly concerne us now we may wel apply that 15. verse unto the condition of England at this time I thought in these daies to do wel unto this people and to the house of Judah but in these things that I should do saith God look to your selves you must not think that when I am going on in a way of mercy you may do what you list but these things I wil do but it is upon this condition that you follow God on in that way if God doth open a door to us if we would not have it shut he expects that we should come and enter in at that door that is close with him in that way of mercy he is doing wel but then seeing that our sins have made the interruption and it is not alwaies that Gods present mercies are certain arguments of further mercies How shal we know when we may draw an argument to assure our selves from that mercy we have now that there is further mercies intended for us This you may remember in the beginning of the point I told you it was a priviledg of Gods saints and yet every one wil be ready to snatch at it to conclude to themselves wel God is a God ful of mercy and therefore because he beginneth to shew mercy to me he wil go on surely I shal find favor it hath been his way and course to deal thus with his people and therefore seeing he hath delivered me from one evil he wil deliver me from another Bretheren it is the usual way of wicked men to catch at the priviledges of the Saints as if they were their own we have a notable example for this in the prophesie of Jeremiah that is worthy of our observation in Jer. 21.2 It is an example there of Zedekiah Zedekiah was a wicked man and yet he flattered himself in this and promised to himself that what priviledges the people of God had in former times he must needs have the like mark what he saith now Inquire I pray thee of the Lord for us Nebuchad-nezar King of Babilon maketh war against us if so be the Lord wil deal with us according to al his wonderous works that he may go up from us Mark saith Zedekiah to Jeremiah Oh! inquire Oh! let us know the mind of God whether he wil deal with us according to al his wonderous works God had dealt with his people according to his worderful works had dealt wonderfully for his people and Zedekiah a wicked man and the wicked people that were with him they were ready to flatter themselves with hope that God would deal with them as he had done with his people heretofore worderfully but they were deceived And so people when they heare of a priviledg of the Saints for them to promise to themselves that they shal have the like from God that his peopl have I say they wil be mistaken for the promises that are made in Scripture of Mercy they are the inheritance of Gods Saints Isa 54.17 This is the inheritance of my servants Saith God When God made a promise to his people of Mercy there I but saith he this is the inheritance of my Sarvants it belongs not to al it is their inheritance their portion what have others to do with the inheritance of Gods people When a Saint of God looks into the word of God and reads the word he may see every promise every expression of Gods goodness as a part of his inheritance and take it it is thy inheritance though thou inheritest not worldly riches thou mayest have short or little comings in yet know thou art an heir of al the glorious promises that are written in the Book of God they are thy inheritance A wicked man when he reades in the Scripture he can take no such delight in it for indeed he may reade many promises but they are none of his inheritance they are the inheritance of Gods people There is a great deal of difference between an heire riding through his Fathers ground and a strangers riding through it just the like difference there is between a carnal man reading the scriptures a Saint An heir rideth through his ground and seeth fruitful fields and pleasant meadows and saiâ—h he this is my ground and a stranger rideth through them and commends them I but they belong not to me So a Saint reades the scripture and the expressions of Gods goodness there and saith they are my inheritance and a carnal heart saith no such matter and therefore Gods Mercies to his people are inlets to further if they are not so to thee thou canst not conclude and say Oh! I was in such a danger and in such an extremity and God delivered me from that extremity and therefore if I come into the like he wil deliver me again no thou canst not say so It was a notable expression of Hezekiah Isa 38. When God there delivered him from the sickness as its thought by Divines it was the Plague and God delivered him he concludes In love to my soul hast thou delivered me from the pit of corruption this is an excellent couclusion that a child of God may make if ever he were delivered from the danger of the Plague in love to my soul Lord thou hast delivered me and I shal go to the house of the Lord I shal yet have further mercy It may be some of you have had the the Plague in your houses it may be upon your selves and God hath delivered you and you wil take it as an argument that God wil diliver you again because he delivered you from that yea but unless thou be a Hezekiah a Gracious man or woman thou canst not conclude that God hath delivered thee from that pit of corruption for Gods preservations of wicked men are many times reservations for greater evils as I might shew you but that I see that I must hasten Wel but then stil how may we know when we may draw an argument from Gods present mercies to future The first discovery whether Gods present Mercies be in-lets to future When in a mercy there is some special discovery of God unto his people I say some special and glorious discovery of
God in a Mercy As in his Mercy to Abraham Isaak Jacob Solomon David c. There were glorious discoveries of Gods presence when as Jacob was delivered form Esau saith Jacob I have seen thee as the face of God it may be read thus I have seen thee after the face of God after I have seen the face of God I have seen thee I that is sweet and comfortable indeed when we can see a mercy after we have seen the face of God we can se the face of God in the way of his Mercy and after we see the face of God then look upon the Mercy and then gather this argument If thou hast an eye that in a Mercy thou canst see the face of God there and after the sight of the face of God in the mercy then it is somewhat Thus in Isay 26.12 Lord thou wilt ordain peace for us thou wilt for thou also hast wrought al our works in us mark the argument Lord thou wilt ordain peace Why For thou hast wrought al our works in us This scripture is spoken concerning the deliverance of the people of Israel from their captivity God did begin to deliver them and those that were Godly were sure to have deliverance complate Thou wilt ordain we are sure of that say they why for thou hast wrought al our works for us for it is not Cyrus But it is a remarkable hand of God upon the spirit of Cyrus and al that is done in our deliverance it is done through a mighty hand of God Thou hast wrought al our works in us The work it is a work above Nature it is a wonderful work of God and therefore we are sure that thou wilt ordain peace for us When God appeares wonderful remarkably in a Mercy to his people then they conclude of further Mercies A most excellent place for that likewise in Psal 75.5 Vnto thee Oh God do we give thanks for that thy name is neare thy wonderous works declare mark for that thy name is near thy wonderous works declare Oh Lord as if they should have said we se thy wonderful works we see thy face thy Power thy Glory thy Mercy and thy Goodness we se thy Mercy a creating Mercy and therefore thy name is near O! thou art good yet more and more for that thy wondrous works declare Brethren when Gods mercies are creating mercies then we may expect that they wil be perfect mercies for though in generation there may be a defect yet in creation there is never a defect many times there may want a Limb a member in generation but al that God creates he creates perfect Now when the mercies of God are as it were created mercies not generated out of second causes but we see a kind of created power then surely it wil be perfect Now Brethren before we come to Application to our own hearts we cannot but apply this as a strong argument to raise up our thoughts to make account of the mercies this day we enjoy to be a door of Hope unto us for if ever people have created mercies we have if ever a people could see the face of God in a way of mercy then we may at this day if ever a people could say Thou Oh Lord hast wrought al our works for us we may wel say it and therefore we may draw that coclusion that the Church did Thou wilt ordain peace for thou hast wrought al our works for us Surely Brethren Gods name is nigh God hath seemed to be afar off from England for a long time God is coming nigh his name is nigh for his wondrous works that he hath done of late declare it But that is the first The Second discovery whether Gods present Mercies be in-lets to future Mercies When Gods Mercies are Spiritual Mercies then they are certain in-lets to further Mercies a Spiritual Mercie never come alone but make way for further I wil give you but one Text for that because I see time outruns me in Ezek. 39.29 Neither wil I hide my face any more from them saith God Why For I have powred out my Spirit upon the House of Israel saitth the Lord God Mark I wil hide my face no more from them Why for I have poured out my Spirit upon the House of Israel saith the Lord God Brethren if ever any Nation had the Spirit of God poured out upon them certainly we have God poureth out his Spirit unto his people upon private Christians and upon Ministers in a wonderful abundant manner and how hath he poured out his Spirit upon our Worthies assembled in Parliament Now let this be a good Argument neither wil I hide my face any more from them for I have poured out my spirit upon them then it is an Argument for us this day that God wil not hide his face from us because he hath poured out his Spirit upon us If there be any people under Heaven that have the Spirit of God upon them certainly the people of England have it at this day and this is Gods own promise and Argument you may plead it with God in prayer that he wil never hide his face from them that he hath poured out his Spirit upon not only in general may you make use of it but for your selves in particular Hath God poured out his Spirit upon any of your Souls you may make this conclusion it is Gods own conclusion he wil never hide his face from you because he hath poured his Spirit upon you that is the Second The Third discovery whether Gods present Mercies be in-lets to future Mercies Then is a Mercy a fore-runner of further Mercy when it is obtained by Faith and prayer in the Covenant of Grace That Mercy that prayer and the exercise of Faith doth obtain is certainly and infallibly a fore-runner of further Mercy God hath not done with that people and that Soul in a way of Mercy where he bestows a Mercy as a fruit of prayer an exercise of Faith in the Covenant If prayer be the Key to open Heaven when it is shut to us much more then wil it keep Heaven open when it is once open but that we know to be the excellency of prayer it is the great Key of Heaven that golden Key of Heaven that opens it when it is shut then surely prayer can keep Heaven open If ever a Mercy were obtained by prayer certainly that Mercy that we have now for the present here in Edgland is a Mercy obtained by prayer if ever there were a Parliment obtained by prayer since England was a Nation certainly this Parliment was we may cal the name of this Parliament Samuel asked of God and what have been the earnest cries of Gods people of many that are dead and gone but for these times Now that that is a fruit not only of prayer of Gods people for the present but is the Harvest of so many prayers of the Saints of God and Worthies of God in former
shal make way for another duty certainly that soul wil persevere in Duty But here is the difference between that which is done by the strength of a natural conscience and that which is done out of a principle of true sanctifying Grace I beseech you observe it There are many I suppose are much troubled in this case of conscience they say that one that hath but the strength of a natural conscience he may performe duty out of this strength of a natural conscience how can I know then when I performe duty out of a gracious principle a principle of sanctifying Grace and that my duties are not out of the strength oâ— natural conscience If I would give but one note and were to study never so long of it I would give this note rather than any one and that is this use I am now upon If one duty that thou performest give strength to another duty and make thee fitter for it and inableâ—h thee to another duty this is a sign that it is not meerly out of a natural conscience for a natural conscience though it puts me upon the doing of it yet it puts not strength in me to do it but a Gracious principle puts me upon the doing of it and puts strength in me to do it therefore when I am put upon a duty upon conscience and I find that one duty doth fit me for another this is surely a gracious principle not only fitteth me in the same kind for so you may say meerly through use I come to be more perfect but when it fits in another kind in another way by excercise we come to be more fit for that habit but here now in spiritual duties one maketh way for another though it be in another kind in another way this certainly comes from Grace therefore if you mark this argument that Gods mercies but makes way for another therefore you wil have one duty make way for another this is a certaine signe of continuance of mercy to thy soul Again seventhly VSE 7. It should be a use of reprehension of our unbeleeving hearts thus It is the way of God when he comes in one mercy that we should look upon it as a door of hope for further but yet mark ye our unbeleeving hearts wil usually draw consequences from Gods mercies to nourish unbelief quite contrary to the raising hope and faith not to make Gods mercies a door of hope to let in mercy but make it a door of unbeleif to shut out mercy as you shal find an unbeleeving heart working from mercies thus I they are mercies indeed but they wil never hold they are mercies but they are to prepare me for greater Judgments and thus an unbeleeving heart wil work out arguments of unbeleef from the very mercies of God themselves This is a great sin for God bestows mercys to raise up hope and to help thy faith to work not to helpe thy unbeleef to work and yet bretheren there are many christians that make no other use of Gods mercies but meerly to nourish their unbeleefe and to strengthen their unbeleefe whereas they should make them a doore of hope Again an eight Use should be this USE 8. Be ye merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful doth one mercy of God make way for anorher let one good action I mean of Mercy to your brother make way for another do not say I have done so much already and therefore I may now go on in my covetousness no if so be thou hast gracious principles one action of Mercy must make way for another one forgivness of thy brother in one thing must make way for another one action of liberality must make way for another thus God dealeth with thee and do thou so with thy brother for so is the command Be ye merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful Now the last Use which I intended most of al and is the cheife Use of the point is this USE 9. A Use of Exhortation to us al to follow God on in the way of his Mercies when God hath opened a doore of hope to us let us follow on after God 63. Psalme 8. the Psalmest there speakes of God unto them but marke what use he makes of it my soule saith he follows hard after God O! this should be our course doth God come at any time particularly to us in any way of Mercy Let our soule follow hard after God when Jacob was wrastling with the Angel and day began to dawne the Angel would have been gone O! strive and wrastle the more What! doth the day dawn many times thou art wrastling a longe time with God stil there is nothing but darkness in thy soul but thou doest hold on through Gods Grace to thee at length the day beginneth to dawne God beginneth to let in some light to thy Soul and yet it may be even at that time God seemeth as if he would be gon O! stir up thy self then and wrastle indeed when the day beginneth to dawn O! that thou mightest have more might then as you know that place that God bids David and his people when you hear the noise saith he in the mulbery trees bestir your selves for God is going out before you then So I may say when you feel God stirring in your hearts and have some impressions of God upon your spirits O! bestir your selves follow on the good work of the Lord. I remember we read in the gospel of the poore blind man crying after Christ O! Son of David have Mercy upon me some would have had him hold his peace but at length Christ pittying of him asketh who it is that cryed after him and those that were by came â—o the bâ—ind man and saied thus to him be of good comfort for he cals thee I have observed that he went as fast as he coâ—ld then and â—eared no danger of stumbling at any place So I may say to many of your souls it may be your case at this present thou hast bin crying for the sight of thy eyes O! that he would shew me his truth and open the gospel and the misteries of it O! that he would open my heart and give me a soft heart and a beleeving heart whereas I have an unbeleeving heart wel be of good comfort he cals thee now he works by his spirit and calls thee O! now bestir thy selfe and go on after God in this way It is a special part of the wisdome and duty of Christians to observe what are the waies of Gods mercy towards them as I told you before the connections of them so I mean the beginings of them and therefore take this one note It is a great reason why many Christians are so long time in darkness and under the spirit of bondage because they do not observe the beginnings of Gods mercy how God beginneth with them because they have not al the mercy they would have therefore they neglect the observation of the beginnings
is God at Peace with thee is not he froward towards thee and shal your spirits be disturbed with those things when you are at Peace with God is there not enough in this peace to swallow up all those disturbances I have observed that it is a frequent complaint of those that are taken to be godly men they wil say such a one is a very good man but he is very passionate and froward truly it is a an extream blot to professors and the truth is if we duly consider all things a man would think there should be nothing more opposite to the spirit of a Christian than frowardness and passion is nothing more opposite to true grace for when grace comes when Faith in Christ comes it breedeth such abundance of peace in our hearts that one would think that frowardness and passion with any in the world should be inconsistent with the Reconciliation here spoken of with true grace and with Faith in Christ When men are of such spirits that they are soon put into a passion and being in a passion cannot be Reconciled it is a dangerous sign that there is not that peace made between God and your souls that you speake of And Certainly this is the reason why many Christians are so passionate as they are because they do not maintain their peace with God there is usually some breach in their peace with God which makes them so froward and so passionate as they are with men And to shew that the more our peace with God is broken the more froward wil our spirits be You have a notable example for that in Saul Saul when he came first to the Crown he seemed to be of a very low and meek spirit he counteth his family to be the least of the Tribes and himself to be of the least of that family And when there were some Children of Belial that spaek against him and said Shal this man be King over us The scripture tels us that he held his peace and when some would have had those that spake against him before to be put to death no saith Saul there shal not any man be put to death this day At first you see Saul was of a quiet spirit of a very meek disposition but after Saul had departed from God and God was departed from him he was then of a very froward and surly and rugged and harsh disposition and he that was before of a peaceable and quiet disposition to his enemies yet afterwards he was of a froward and cross disposition even to his own Son to Jonathan who was a good Son a gracious and godly Son a Son of a sweet nature and yet even to him how harsh was he O thou child of a perverse woman saith he and he would have slaine him in that passion if the people had not prevented him And how froward was he likewise when he was but crossed of his wil when he heard that the Priests had but let David pass away with some smal supplies they must be al put to death man woman and Child and fourscore and five of the Priests of the Lord that wore a sinnen Ephod must al be presently murdred such a froward cross rugged and harsh nature was Saul of and what was the reason of this Because he had departed from God and God was departed from him You therefore that are of froward and passionate Spirits have cause to look into your own hearts and examine your selves wel whether this be not the ground of it even that you have broke your peace with God and now you are at peace with no body not with Husband nor with Wife nor with Neighbors whereas if you did keep close with God and maintained but the sweetness of your hearts in the injoyment of peace with him it would not be easy for you to be disturbed with any thing that befals you from without This is the first thing that followeth from the sweetness of our Reconciliation with God that a gracious heart who knows what that meaneth must needs be of a sweet and lovely and meek disposition towards others CHAP. 7. VSE 2. Secondly O! the blessed estate of a Beleever of one that hath imbraced the Gospel he is Reconciled to God he is at peace with God and that hath a great deal in it as you have have heard The Jews were wont to expresse all kind of prosperity and happpinesse by this word Peace Peace be to you and in saying so they did wish all manner of good for indeed the word is a comprehensive word and therefore God accounteth it his glory to be called the God of Peace and the very God of Peace c. And the Son of God it is his glory to be the Prince of Peace And the spirit of God it is his glory to have the fruits of the spirit to be Joy and Peace And it is the honor of the Gospel to be the Gospel of Peace And it is the glory of the Kingdom of God to consist in righteousnesse and Peace And it is the Evangelical benediction Grace peace It is the glory of the Covenant of Life to be a Covenant of Peace Peace it is a most amiable thing But Peace with God how lovely and amiable and glorious is it Ask a wounded Conscience that apprehends and is sensible of that enmity that sin hath put between God and it what it would give for peace with God Ask Ask a dying man that apprehends what God is one who hath no peace with God what he would give for Peace with God If you could possibly ask those damned spirits that are now in Hell what they think of peace with God O! what a Commendation would they set on this peace Well may we be willing to endure some trouble in seeking after this peace with God well may we be contented to lie under the stroak of the Law as long as God pleaseth for this peace wil at last make up all Those that have endured the greatest terrors of the Law when the Lord hath come in with manifestations of this peace and Reconciliation to them in Jesus Christ they have thought all well recompenced and if it had been to endure a thousand times more than they have done they would have thought all to have been made up in this blessed peace This is a blessing indeed in these troublesom times wherein we hear of nothing but of wars and of rumors of wars and we are taught by what we now hear and feel and know to prize outward peace But if we think outward peace be so great a mercy what is this Reconciliation and peace with God the Soul blessings Yea yoâ— wil say there is a great deal of Blessing indeed in this Reconciliation with God which we have read of and happy is the soul that is at peace with him But how shal we know that we are those that are Reconciled to God that so we may injoy those blessed fruits of
let me tel you that in Scripture Strength is often used for Gods goodness and mercy his power to do good as wel as his power to inflict misery and judgment I wil give you but a scripture or two for that Num. 14.17 And now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken saying the Lord is of long Suffering of great mercy forgiving iniquity and trangression c. And in vers 19. Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of thy mercy When Moses is pleading with God for a pacification between him and his people he makes use of Gods power O Lord saith he according to the greatness of thy power or according to the greatness of thy strength for it is all one do this So Psal 27. The Lord is the strength of my life where Gods power and strength are tearmes used to set out the way of God towards David And here the word doth signifie such a kind of strength as is to help a thing that is very weak that as the Vine being very weak and being left to itself fals down and therefore you use to put props under your Vines which have more strength in them than the Vines have in themselves to keep them up and that is the very word in the Original which is translated Strength as if God should have said wil he take hold on me as on a prop And that this is the meaning of it appeares by the dependence of the words for the Prophet in that Chapter was speaking of the goodness of God to his Vinyard vers 2. In that day Sing you unto her a Vinyard of Red wine I the Lord do keep it I wil water it every moment least any hurt it I wil keep it night and day what a sweet promise is this of God to his Church Are there a great many enemies abroad that are strong and powerful and of swift feet ready to shed blood mark in one verse you shal read three I's I I I saith God I oppose my self to al the enemies of my Church I do keep it I wil water it every moment I wil keep it but what shal become of it in the night I wil keep it saith he night and day We have here a promise to help us to sleep quietly Wel he goes on verse 4. Fury is not in me though it is true I may come against you in such waies that you may think I am provoked but saith he fuiry is not in me I am not provoked in a revenging way towards my people Who would set the Briers and Thorns against me in Battail there are a Company of wicked and ungodly men that may set themselves against me like Briers and Thorns But saith he I wil go through them if they come in my way I wil consume them I wil burn them together But my people they are my Vinyard I wil deal gently with them I wil be a prop and a support to them And then he comes in with this let them take hold of my strength that they may make peace with me as if he should say you are pore weak creatures you are indeed my Vinyard and my Vine but you are weak and when a storm comes you are ready to bow down and ly quash upon the ground yea but saith God though you think that my wrath is abroad in the world yet my power and my wrath is against mine enemies and al my power and my strength are for you it is no otherwise but as the seting of a prop under a Vine in a time of tempest when a storme would beat the Vine to the ground my power shal be set under to keep it up Now you should saith he take hold of this my strength as the Vine claspeth about the prop and so make peace with me This is an excellent text to put you on in these dangerous times to be sure to make peace with God You that are godly and have some hopes that God is at peace with you it may be you are troubled with fears of danger know that God puts under his power and his strength and he would have you take hold of it take hold of my strength saith he even as the Vine takes hold of the prop and so by renewing the act of Faith upon my power and goodness thereby you shal renew your peace with me that whatsoever fury is abroad to burn the Briers and Thorns yet you shal have peace with me and that power of mine that is put forth to destroy them shal be a prop to uphold you So that this Scripture as it makes much for the openning of what I said before so it seems to put you on to a laboring and indeavouring to make your peace with God in troublesome times Set therefore before your eyes the power of God the greatness of God That is one interpretation Then set before your eyes the goodness and the mercy of God that your hearts may come and twist themselves about this God as the Vine doth about the prop or the hop about the pole Help 3. In your making your peace with God observe this rule To resolve with your own hearts that you wil never be at peace with your selves til you be at peace with God that you wil never have any peace in your own hearts til you have gotten true peace with God I do not say that you should resolve never to have peace with others but I say resolve never to be at peace with your selves and it is a good controversy when men are at contention with their evil hearts Say within your selves shal I be at peace with this wretched heart that is an enemy unto God God forbid this heart of mine shal be brought down and be at peace with God before ever I wil be at peace with it It is that which destroyes many a soul that they are so indulgent to their own hearts they are loth to fal out with them And the truth is many keep on in waies of enmity against God because they are loth to fal out with their own hearts we should be willing our hearts should be troubled al our dayes that the foundation of our peace and quiet might by this be layd and accomplished Help 4. And then another way is this Come in before God even with a Rope about thy neck and with Sackcloath upon thy loynes cast thy self down before the Lord and beseech him to write his own tearms give up thy heart unto God as it were a Blanck and pray the Lord to write his own Conditions only that God might be at peace with thee And if thou do'st so indeed then manifest the truth of it thus That if afterwards any temptation to any sin comes or if thou beest cast upon any duty and findest thy heart backward thereto make use then of the disposition of thy heart think thus Was there not a time when I
needs be great it is sin that made the distance between God and us and that was so vast and wide that it did necessarily require a Mediator to come between and especially upon this ground because the Lord was resolved to have that wrong that was done unto him by the sin of man perfectly made up sin had wronged God and God was resolved upon it he was set upon it to have this wrong compleatly made up and that he himself would be perfectly righted and this Gods Justice cals for and thus stood the tearms between God and Man Man having wronged God and God and He are now at varience and God stands upon it and is resolved with himself thus though I be willing to be at peace with them yet I wil be at peace with them so as I wil have the wrong that is done made up my Justice shal be fully and compleatly satisfied I must be righted for I am God and there shal not be such a flaw remayning in my Justice to eternity as that such and such Creatures should sin against me and I pass it by without having any satisfaction for saith God this would be a flaw in my Justice for ever and that I will not have and therefore I will be righted in that wrong that is done me by the fal of Man It is true when one man comes to treat about peace and Reconciliation with another it is somtimes necessary for him to pass by an offence without any satisfaction at al especially when that poor Creature that hath offended is not able to make satisfaction but it is not so between God and Man though one Man being at variance with another when he sees that he that hath done him the wrong cannot make satisfaction he then is indeed to pass it by but Gods mercy did never work after that manner though the mercy in a man may work him to such a Reconciliation and though God be a God of infinite mercy infinitly more merciful than any Creature can be yet the way of the working of Gods mercy is a different way from the working of the Creatures mercy neither doth it argue that there is not as much mercy in God as there is in the Creature but that the way of the working of Gods mercy is different from that of the Creatures and this is the way of the working of Gods mercy not to pass by the wrong done but to provide some means or other himself to satisfie that wrong to the end that he may have his Justice satisfied and because that this was necessary hence it comes to pass of our being reconciled unto God through Jesus Christ The necessity of Christs being a Mediator is not so much this that we are grieveous sinners and so we have need of abundance of mercy from God if there were nothing but these two only that we are great sinners and so have need of great mercy there would not come a necessity of Christ But we are great sinners and we have need of the mercy of God and the wrong that sin hath done unto God must be made up and his Justice fully satisfied and here comes in the necessity of a Christ And thus God was Reconciling himself to the world in this regard And the truth is though some of you have heard the sound of this oftentimes yet you must know this is the great mistery of the Gospel and by our presenting this unto you again and again perhaps God wil give you a further insight into this truth It is this that the Angels desire so much to pry into they know this that Gods Justice must be satisfied but they know it not so and so as the Church knows it and as the Saints know it and therefore they pry more and more into it to see the further depths of it as indeed there is greater and greater depths in this mistery which we can never fathom and which is only reserved for the time of the Resurrection Most people think that when they are to seek for Reconciliation with God they have to do with God only as a merciful God But you must know when you have to do with God about Reconciliation you have to do with more than with the mercy of God ye have to do with God reconciling himself to the world in his Son and you can never seek Reconciliation with God in a right Evangelical way unless you seek it in his Son That briefly shal suffice for the first The necessity of Christs coming in to the work of Reconciliation CHAP. 14. How Christ comes to be a fit Reconciler Opened in seven Particulars 1. Because he is the second person in the Trinity 2. He hath taken our Nature on him 3. He knows fully the mind of the Father 4. He fully knows what wil satisfie the Father 5. God the Father doth infinitly Love him 6. He never offended the Father 7. What he doth hath infinite efficacy and worth THe second thing propounded in the twelfth Chapter is this How Christ comes to be a fit Reconciler it is he who is the great Peace-maker and therefore in the Scripture he is called the Prince of peace it is he that is Melchezedeck King of righteousness and King of peace But how comes he to be so by being a Mediator between the Father and us and so you shal find he is called in the Scripture Heb. 8 6. But he hath obtained a more Excellent Ministry by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant that is of a Covenant of grace and not of that covenant of works Now Christ he is a fit mediator to come in and to mediate between God and us As amongst men when there is a Breach between two and they are at a Distance the Breach is such as requires one to come in and to mediate between them It is not alwayes necessary between man and man where there is a Breath that one should come and mediate but there being a Breath between God and us it was absolutely necessary that a mediator should come in to treat between God and us and there could never have been the least parly the least treaty between God and fallen man had not a mediator stept in between and this mediator is Jesus Christ and it is he that is only fit to be our Reconciler and Peace-Maker 1. Because he is the Second Person in Trinity and in that regard he is fit You wil Say How doth this make him fit Thus The Sin that was committed in the first transgression was more directly against the first Person God the Father Why wil you say was it against one Person rather than against another It was indeed against them al but it was more directly against the first Person and this is the reason of it because mans first sin was against that perfection which God gave him in his creation against that created righteousnes that was put into him which was especially the work
going of the miles is as necessary as the other and though that be not required yet it is implyed in the act that is required and it is to be looked upon as necessary as that which is required as a Condition So it is true humiliation is not the Condition of the second Covenant it is not the thing that intersteth us in Jesus Christ but it is that which the nature of faith doth necessarily imply for faith is an understanding Grace and indeed it is the most gloriouse worke of the soul that ever was for a soul to beleeve in God through Christ to beleeve that God is Reconciled to him in Christ it is the most glorious work under heaven Now when I beleeve in Christ as a Savior what is he a Savior from a Savior from my sin a Savior from the wrath of God and this the Soul must necesarily be senssible of how else can it put forth such an act of Faith and I know no faithful preacher in the world that ever pressed humiliation further then this that when men beleeve in Christ they must know and be sensible of what they do you must know Christ is a Mediator and if he be a Mediator what is he a Mediator for why to make up a Breach between God and you And then you must know what that breach is that is the breach that your sin hath made And then you must know what sin that is Namely that your sin hath provoked the Justice of God and put you under the Curse of the Law So that you see the necessity of opening the law though it be not a thing which interesteth us in Christ yet it follows of it self as a necessary Consequence without which you cannot understand Christ as a reconciler This is therefore the first use If God wil never be reconciled to any Soul but only in Christ then that Soul that comes to be Saved must come to see it self in a most woful Condition for such a Creature as hath need of such a Mediator must needs be in a most Wretched Damnable Misserable Cursed condition in it self for else it could never requier such a Mediator And certainly there is no such way to honor Christ as this When men speake of Christ and of free Grace except rhey instruct people in this Namely the breach that is made between God and them through sin how can any of their Avditory understand what Christ is Christ is a Mediator what to do to save from fin What from what sin from sin What is that sin must be made known if Christ be the reconciler between God and us because Reconciliation implies a breach and a breach that is made by sin and if you know not what breach is that is made how can you honor Christ as Mediator So that you must know what that breach is that breach is the enmity that is in your hearts by Nature you must know what that enmity is and be sensible of it or else you can never give glory to God in Christ And though many have so much in their mouthes of Christ and of free Grace yet it is apparent in their Course that they do not give glory to Christ Christ hath little cause to thank them for any glory that he hath from them in their Conversation they rather blott and staine the name of Christ and what is the reason The truth is they never rightly understood Christ as a Mediator they never knew what it was to have need of a Mediator between God and them and so they having but a superficial knowledg of Christ Christ hath but a superficial glory from them That is the first Use CHAP. 31. Use 2. Discovering of Mistakes about Reconciliation 2 IF God hath reconciled himself to the world in Christ Hence we are to take notice of the great mistakes there are in the world in the point of Reconciliation with God Certainly if this be a truth that the only way of making up our peace with God is in Christ then the world doth gennerally mistake in the great matter of Reconciliation with God and a mistake in this is an undoing mistake a damning mistake a Soul may perish eternally meerly thorugh a mistake in the matter of Reconciliation A man may be troubled for sin and cry out of his sin and may break off the practice of his sin and cry unto God in Prayer that he would pardon him and be reconciled unto him and yet mistaking here and not understanding that it must be God in and through Christ that reconcileth himself the mistake in this may prove an undoing mistake to that Soul and although they should be Crying out of their sins al their daies they may perish at last if they do not know and rightly understand how to close with Gods mercy as it is in Christ if they do not understand that it is God in Christ that reconcileth himself to the world We know the greatest part of people look for their Reconciliation with God meerly in a natural way they have sinned against him and they wil cry unto him for mercy and for pardon and so they think al may be made up between God and them I remember Luther hath a notable speech concering this in his meditation about the way which God hath appointed for reconciling of man to himself that it is in Christ It is intollerahle and horrible blasphâ—my saith he to faigne any worke by which thou mayest presume to please God and he gives the reason of it It is therefore intollerable and horrible blasphemy for any to faigne any worke by which they shal presume to pacifie God when they shal see and hear that God cannot be pacified any other way but by such a way as the blood of his Son one drop where of is more preciouse then the whole Creation And upon this ground being meditating of Gods reconciling the world to himself and that it was by such a way as the blood of his Son and that one drop of his blood is of more value then al the Creatures in Heaven and Earth hence it was that he affirmes is to be horrible and intolerable blasphemy for any man to think to pacifie God any other way Nay when God by such a way hath appointed Reconciliation for a man to neglect this and to think that any work of his own shal pacify God especially those that heare the Gospel preached to them when they shal think of any other way of their own and so neglect the way that God hath appointed this is indeed a most intollerable and horrible blasphemy and Certainly it is that which provoketh the Lord exceedingly that when a sinner shal be made apprehensive and sensible of the Breach that is made between God and him for that sinner to think the Breach to be no greater then may be made up with any work of Repentance or good meaning or good works the Lord disclaineth to look upon that sinner in this
set one against another there should be a Reconciliation But God hath waies in his infinite Wisdom that we are not able to comprehend the spirits of any of our Adversaries are not so desperately bent against us but there was as much enmity between us and God as there can be betwixt us and any of our adversaries in the world and we have no such exasperated enimes against us as we were by nature against God If therefore God could find a way when we were such enimies unto him to make peace betwixt us and him then hath God likewise a way to make a true setled and constant peace between our Adversaries and us And we should desire that as God hath made our peace with him firme and sure so that what peace God makes in this land it may be somwhat like unto that peace that he hath made between Heaven and Earth There is a firme peace made between God and us a peace that we may rest upon and confide in A peace betwen our adversaries and us as things now stand we cannot count it sure you cannot be sure of your lives one night after it is done as things now stand But we must desire such a peace might be made as there is made between God and us sure and firme and stable Therefore pray much and beleeve much as you are able and though things be brought to such a straite as there is no likelyhood in the thoughts of men how it should be done yet they are not brought to such a straite as things were between God and us before he reconciled himself unto us And there was more required to make up that Reconciliation betwixt God and us then there can be between us and our adversaries And what was it that made our peace first with God God was in Christ reconciling the world it was the blood of his Son that saved our blood and therefore let al those that are godly go to this God of peace and not only cry to him by Prayer for the making of a true and firme peace amongst us but present unto him the blood of his Son to that end and say O Lord thou that sentest thy Son into the world to make peace between our Souls and thee look upon that blood and let that blood prevail with thee to make peace in England that there may be no more of the precious blood of thy Saints spilt and shed amongst us Here is the way to get peace And Certainly if the blood of Christ were able to make such a peace between us and God as is firme and lasting it wil be able also to make peace in this poor Nation and such a peace as shal be firme and lasting too Thus we are incouraged in regard of external condition in regard of the peace of our land that seeing God hath done the greater he is able much more to do the lesser That seeing God hath reconciled mercy and Justice together and made peace betwixt Heaven and Earth when the Breach was so great as al the men in the world and the Angels in Heaven could not find out a way to compose the difference and make up that breach yet he hath done it He can certainly also compose the differences and make up the breach that is amongst us CHAp 24. Use 5. Those that have assurance of their peace with God highly to prise it HEnce then if our Reconciliation with God be such as hath been opened and if it be wrought after that way Then an other Use we may make of it is this Namely That al those that have any comfortable assurance that their peace is made with God they are to prise it highly and not easily and lightly to loose the assurance of it Why Because it hath cost so much as it hath done and it hath been wrought for them after such a strange manner as it hath been the greatest work that ever God made and wherein his wisdome and goodness and power hath been seen now that which God hath set himselfe to worke so powerfully in to the end that he might acomplish it and that which hath cost so dear as it hath done that wherein so much of the mistery of Godliness is contained suerly then if we have obtained the assurance of it in our selves we should highly prise it and we should seeke to preserve it and not loose it we know not how I remember when we opened the excellency of our Reconciliation with God and what admirable fruits did flow fom it we had there a Use like unto this that because it is so excellent we should preserve it and not let it go lightly But now this Use is drawn from the way of Reconciliation that it is a Reconciliation in Christ and in indeed the argument fals more strongly upon us here then it did formerly before the argument was that we should prise it because we have such comfort in our Reconciliation because such admirable fruits doe flow from it because it is able to carry us through al troubles in the world But now we must seek to preserve it because we have it in Christ because it is that which cost more then ten thousand worldes are worth because God hath wrought so wonderfully to bring it ahout Hath God therefore spoken peace to any of your souls take heed that you turn not again to folly Psalm 85.8 I wil hear what the Lord wil say for he wil speak peace to his people and to his Saints but let not them return again to folly Hast thou gotten any comfortable perswasion that the Lord is reconciled unto them Christ and God hath made thee to know that Reconciliation with him was a difficult work it may be it cost you many tears and prayers and much trouble before you could get it and a long time you were seeking of it in a Legal way and crying unto God for his mercy to pardon your sins and Seeking to him in that natural way but then you could not have peace spoken to your hearts but in time the Lord opened the mistery of Christ unto your souls and then you sought Reconciliation with him in Christ and you saw how that it was in his blood that your peace was made Have you got peace in an Evangelical way through Christ O! Make much of it it is a precious Jewel in that it comes to you in such a way as this is it cost God dear and it may cost you dear but whether it cost you dear or no you may be sure it cost God dear therfore make much of it do not loose it to loose it fully so as God should again beâ—ome your enemy that indeed you cannot do but you may loose it in your apprehensions you may loose the comfortable assurance of it There are Two waies that Christians may loose the comfortable assurance of their peace with God First through the weaknes of their faith secondly through the sinfulnes of their lives CHAP.
in case men beleeve he hath left it to them to beleeve or not beleeve and so al the great councels of God must depend upon mans wil No certainly Christ hath not left it so but those that he hath reconciled unto God he hath so reconciled them to him as that they shal beleeve and this is not al the world 3. Further If this were so that Christ hath payed a price and left it to mans free will to beleeve or not beleeve the truth is Judas would have been as much beholding to Christ for Salvation as Peter But you wil say Judas was never saved Peter was But according to these men Christ did as much for Judas as for Peter for he shed his blood for Judas as wel as for Peter only Peter by the act of his free wil beleeved and the other did not So that the truth is according to the doctrine of these men Peter shal be no more beholding to Christ at the day of judgment than Judas was Peter indeed must acknowledg that he was saved by Christ but if their doctrine be true he may wel say Lord thou hast done no more for me than for Judas and what was more I did that my selfe thou shedest thy blood a like for us but I beleeved and he did not if he had beleeved he might have been saved as wel as I so hereby the grace of God is exceedingly dishonored by these men that hold universal Redemption by Christ and make it to include al the world There are many arguments that might be used which because they are not so cleer to the ordinary capacities of people we shal leave further mentioning of them at this time and shal only ad that it is Arminian doctrine to teach that there is a price payed by Christ for al the world and it is left unto men to beleeve or not to beleeve And that is true evangelical doctrine That there is a price payed by Christ and God hath resolved upon such and such particular ones in the world that he wil be reconciled unto and that they shal beleeve and be everlastingly saved CHAP. 35. Why Gods Reconciling to himselfe is expressed in so large a terme as the World Six Reasons thereof BUt you wil say If this be so that God hath made such a difference that there are some that he hath been from al eternity reconcileing himself unto and not al what is the reason of this phrase why doth he say that he loved the world and that he was reconciling himself unto the world without any distinction One would think God should rather have expressed it thus That he Reconciling himself to some in the world and that he loved some in the world and not the world in general No God would rather express it in this general phrase upon these Six Reasons Reason 1. First He would say the World to exclude Angells that are not so properly of this world But this doth not come up so fully to the Reason why God would rather say the world than this or that man in the world And therefore Reason 2. In the Second place another Reason is this Because he would shew the sufficiency of the death of Christ and of the work of Redemption that there is enough in it if it were to save never so many worlds Reason 3. Thirdly Another Reason of it is this That God might shew that in the Ministery of the Gospel none shal be excluded No not the worst of sinners that are in the world and therefore God doth not say in the Ministery of the Gospel this or that particular man or woman Christ died for but generally he died for the world Because he would hereby shew that he hath not excluded the worst and vildest sinner in the world and that those that are the most notorious and the greatest sinners in the world may come in and be Reconciled If God had expressed it thus There are some in the world that I have been reconciling my self unto from al eternity Then may a sinner say surely if there be but some God never intended me that have been so wicked a wretch so notorious a sinner But therefore God would not express it so but in the most general tearmes to the end that there should not be any one sinner in the world have this plea Lord I was excluded No saith God I wil have the Ministery of my Gospel go in such generall tearmes as that every sinner shal have incouragement to come in and receive mercy Therefore you shal find in that last of Mark. 15. where Christ gives his Commission to his disciples to preach He saith go in to al the world and â—â—each the Gospel to every Ceature that is to man who is a little world an Epitome of every creature To the Gentiles also who had been denyed this favor of the Gospel as if they had been none of Gods creatures If thou beest a creature the Gospel is to be preached to thee There is to be a general tender of Grace and mercy to every Creature throughout the whole world to the greatest sinners that live upon the face of the Earth Great sinners and smal sinners al of them are to have the offer of Reconciliation with God And the Ministers of the Gospel are to preach in the name of God that the Lord doth tender unto every one this offer of mercy and Salvation This to be done ministerially to every Creature we shal come preach to not only great sinners but those that are of the meanest condition in the world For some may say If God wil shew mercy to some in the world sure it must be to some great ones in the world those that are eminent and may do him a great deal of service alas what service can God have from me a poor creature that lives al day long in a poor dark hole that can do him no work or service wil ever God have any thought of me Yes if thou be a creature of God and livest in the world thou art no more excluded from Reconciliation with God than the Kings and Emperors of the Earth and it may be God may think of thee in that poor hole of thine a thatched cottage when he neglecteth and passeth by the great Monarks of the world Therefore this expression is so large that those that are the poorest people in the world and the greatest sinners in the world may know they are not excluded from the offers of grace in the Gospel This is a third Reason And then Reason 4. A fourth Reason why it goes in such tearmes as these That herby the Lord may shew that those that shal actually come in to be reconciled unto him they must come in while they are in this world That those persons that are capable of Reconciliation are only such persons as live in the world If they be not reconciled before they are gone out of the world they are never to be reconciled
therefore is this phrase God is Reconcileing the world to himself As if he should say If once you are gone out of the world and are not reconcilied unto God before you are gone you are lost for ever The object of this my grace is only those people that live in the world if they pass away this time and be not reconciled unto me while they live here they shal never be reconciled for God was not reconciling himself to men that are in Hell for they are not of this world they are gone out of the world they were suffered by Gods patience to live a great while in the world and here they filled the world with sin as much as in them lay Now they are gone out of the world and are gone from the shine of Gods grace which shal never come to shine upon them more they shal never come to hear any offer of the Gospel more This is a fourth Reason Reason 5. A Fifth Reason is this Hereby God wil shew his wonderful love and free Grace to wretched Creatures that he should regard such vild Creatures as those that live in the world for the world alas what is it It is a dunghil of filth and as the Apostle saith 1. John 5.19 The whole world lies in wickedness it lies as a dead Dog or Carkass that lies in a Common Sewer Nil mundum in mundo nihil aliud est totus mundus ante conversionem nisi aut hara porcorum aut collovie rapidorum canum Aust As a filthy hogsty or kennel of mad Dogs in a ditch al in slime and filth Now that God should set his heart upon the world what an infinite and wonderful love and free grace is this The truth is before our Conversion we do al lie in wickedness as a Carrion or a dead Dog that lies in a Cart-way al in gore mire So are we in our natural Condition and yet that the great God of Heaven should send his own Son into the world to die for such a one that he should make such a one an heir of Heaven and of eternal life that such a one should become a member of his Son and so have everlasting Communion with himself that this should be plotted by God from al eternity What an infinite love of God is this And again that the world lies in wickedness the world that is so vile and so unworthy a thing that yet the Lord should be thus reconciling the World to himself What an infinite and unconceivable free Grace of God is this Reason 6. The Sixt Reason is this They that shal live in the world shal generally come in to God and indeed be actually reconciled in time Though the world for the present be not so generally reconciled unto God yet the Lord hath his time when the Jews shal be called and the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in and we shal see further Reason of the generality of this expression God hath promised that Christ shal possess the utmost parts of the Earth and that the Heirs of the promise shal inherit the World I understand it litterally Rom. 4.23 God made a promise to Abraham and to his Seed that he should be the Heir of the World And this Promise is yet to be fulfiled in a literal sence In some spiritual sence the Saints may be said to be Heirs of the world for indeed the right especially belongs to them I do not say but ungodly men have right by guift he giveth the Earth to the Children of men but not by inheritance as the Saints have as Servants have a right to their meat and drink and what is given them but the Children have a right by inheritance so the Saints have a right to this world as wel as to Heaven and there is a time a comming when they wil be possest with their inheritance Then the Text wil be true literally And thus you have had the Reasons given you of this Phrase and this may suffice for the opening of the Point That it is the World that God was reconciling himself unto CHAP. 36 Use 1 Seeing God hath excepted none from Mercy let none except themselves BY way of Application now and that very briefly only two particulars First Seeing God propoundeth Reconciliation thus in such genneral and large tearmes to the world Then if God have not excepted any let none except themselves Art thou a man that livest here in the world there need be no further qualification for the tender of Grace for the offer of the gospel to thee but this that thou livest in the world God doth not cal for such qualifications as these That they must be such and such men of such and such ranks and dignities or men of such parts or that they must be such as have not committed such and such sins Or that they must be first terrified and so and so humbled No we have Commission to preach the Gospel to every one that hath no other quallification than this but that he lives in the world Indeed if thou wert gone out of the world although thou should'st have but one sinful thought to answer for we could not preach the Gospel to thee though it were possible for an Angel to come to thy soul after it is gone out of this world yet it cold not nor dare not preach the Gospel to thee But while thou are in this world we are appointed to preach the Gospel to thee and to hold forth the tender of Grace and mercy to the. There is no councel of God revealed either to Angels or men that hath excepted any one in the greatest Congrigation of people from Reconciliation with God and thou that hearest or readest what I now say thou mayest bless God that thou art one bless God when thou hearest and readest this that there is no councel of God against thee made known either to angels or men whereby thou art excepted from Reconciliation But every particular one for ought we know in any congregation may be reconciled unto God and have eternal life O Only take heed of abusing this grace of God look to it that you make a Good use of this grace of God this is that which we are bound to tel you and in the name of God we do declare it to you and God propounds this Gospel to us in these large tearms that you may be left utterly without excuse if you perrish There is none of you if you perish can say I was so vild a siner that I was afraid I should never be received by God though I did humble my selfe and come unto him for God wil answer you Were you such a vild Sinner Did not I reveal my gospel in such genneral termes that none might exclud himselfe did not I say I was reconciling my selfe to the world And did I make any exceptions of thee in particular Thou oughtest to have come in amongst the rest and have ventured thy soul
upon the offer of the freeness of my grace Indeed there can be no other incouragment but this for the first work whosoever doth beleeve at any time he is not to beleeve because any qualification of his gives him a right to it but upon these termes that God hath reconciled the world to himselfe and that he hath offered the promise of grace generally and that he hath Said whosoever wil come may come in and beleeve whosoever is a thirst may come and that word of his is my warrant that endifinit Promise that God hath made is a Sufficient encouragement and if I can rowl my soul upon this it is that which gives me right and interest in the grace of God and whosoever hath been saved hath been saved upon these terms The first worke hath been a kind of venturing work they have ventured their soules upon this grace of God thus generally and indefinitly offered and do you retire into your closets and do so too You whose consciences condemn you of great and notorius sinns when you hear of this genneral offer though you do not know whâ—◠〈…〉 be elected or no trouble not your selves with â—uâ—h thoughts but venture to cast your souls upon this free grâ—ce of God in Christ with resolution to give up your selves to the service of God for the time to come â—and though you have not abillity in your selves yet who knows but upon such a work as this Gods Spirit may come even at that instant to inable you to do it This is that which God requiers and if God perswade thy heart to this it is a good signe that mercy is intended to thee When at every time God shal make an offer and tender of the Gospel to thee it doth stirr up thy heart thus to conclude wel I wil adventure my soul upon this offer God hath not excepted me why then should I except my selfe God hath not cast me away why should I make my selfe a castaway do not dispair But beleeve CHAP. 37. VSE 2. SEcondly Hence then it concerns us al to look about us while we live in this world that there may be some work of God upon our hearts while we are here that while we live in this world we may be reconciled unto him for if the thrid of our life be once cut asunder and we be noe longer in this world but go out of it without being reconciled unto God we are undone creatures for ever We say of men when they are dying alas such a one is now no man for this world wel they had neede then to look to themselves that the work of Reconciliation be done before for when thou art no longer in this world then thou art gon for ever O then apply thy selfe to this work whilst thou hast time and tak hold of the means and oppertunities which God affords unto thee while thou art a man of this world loose it not and know it is a great mercy of God to thee to continue thee in this world because here thou art under the power of grace thou art under that genneral grace of God that is indefinitly tendred unto every man under that grace which hath fallen upon as great Sinners as thou art and therefore so long as there is life there is hope This point I have divers times made use of to shew that this time of our lives is the time of grace and salvation and it follows naturally and fully from the expression in the text therefore I shal leave it Only let me tel you thus much That though God expresseth this grace of Reconciliation here to the world yet if ever thou beest actually and indeede reconciled to God before thou dost leave the world God wil make thee to be a man no more of this world and though thou art in the world yet thou shalt not be of the world but above the world Therefore in john 17. you shal finde when Christ speaks of those that his father had given unto him and had beleeved on him he sayeth verse 14. and 16. I have given them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the World even as I am not of the world I pray not that thou should'st take them out of the world but that should'st keep them from the evil It 's true when men have beleeved on Christ they are in the world and Christ doth not pray that God should take them out of the world but preserve them in the world It should teach us by the way to be content to live in the world though it be a dangerous and an evil world for it was as dangerouse and as evil a world wherein the disciples and Christ lived they were in danger of death for the profession of Religion and yet though Christ loved his disciples he would not pray they should be taken out of the world You have a great many discontented people that wil pray that God would take them out of the world No saith Christ keep them in this world And then he saith they are not of the world Indeed God is reconcileing himself to the world that is to those that are in the world but being reconciled to them they are no longer men of the world though in the world therefore if thou beest one that God the Father and the Son hath agreed upon from al eternity to be reconciled unto him in time thou shalt be brought to be one not of the world even whilest thou livest in the world Therefore you that are not only in the world but are worldly men and minde only the things of the world know that the worke of Reconciliation is not done with your Souls what God hath done concerning you in his eternal purpose from al eternity we know not but as yet the work is not done upon thy soul thou art not reconciled unto God that is thou art not brought into such a disposition in thine own heart as to be at peace with God and if ever thou shalt have any peace at al know it must be done here in this world the work of Reconciliation must be done here Thus much for that point That God was in Christ reconcileing the world to himself CAHP. 38. Not imputing their trespasses Opened And 3. Notes on the text NOw followes the Two other Expressions Not inputing their trespasses to them And hath committed to us the word of Reconciliation The first I may finnish in a few words not imputeing their trespasses meaning not reackoning not setting their sins upon their own score so the word is As a man that is in debt we say there is so much standing upon his Head so much upon his score Now when God is said not to impute your trespasses the meaning is your debt comes to be cancelled to be reckoned the debt of an other man he sets your sins no longer upon your score but upon the score of Christ this is the happiness of Beleevers
the great Bishop of their souls He wil come with his visitations one day and when that is come then they shal not have encouragement that have read Service and wore Suâ—plices every day But they shal be able to look upon his face with joy that have been faithful in the work of the Ministery of the Gospel and those that they have done good unto shal be their joy and their Crown at that day In 2. Phil. 16. Saith the Apostle to the Philipians amongst other exhortations he exhorts them that they should hold forth the word the word of life do thus and thus saith he Oh! manifest the power of the Gospel in your lives that I may rejoyce in the day of Jesus Christ that I have not run in vain nor laboured in vain It is an argument to prevail with people to embrace the Gospel that they may recompence those that labor amongst them with this recompence that they may have joy in the day of Jesus Christ that they may be able to come to Christ and say blessed Savior here am I and those whom thou hast given me here are reasons enough I wil pass therfore bretheren from the point only thus much CHAP. 58 Use 1. The horrible wickednss of those that are idle in the Ministery FIrst you may see what an horrible wickedness it is for any that take upon them to be the Ministers of the Gospel and yet be idle to be an idle shepheard to be unfaithful in this it is a most detestable wickedness of all men in the world those men have given up their spirits to wickedness that have the weight of the Ministery of the Gospel to lie upon their charge and yet they are idle Oh! it is woful that ever that man was borne that should take upon him such a glorious Ministery as the Ministery of the Gospel and therein be negligent of preaching or by a scandalous life do mischif unto others It had been better that he had never been born saith the Apostle Woe to me if I preach not So may they say wo to us if we be negligent in it and wo to us if we by our scandalous lives hinder the fruit of our own preaching and of other mens preaching also But we shal let that pass CHAP. 59. Vse 2 IN the second place labor you to inform your selves in this when you see any faithful Minister earnest in this work of his ministration know what the ground is perhaps some of you wonder at it why he cannot content himself as some others know where the ground lies In this from whence it comes it is the Ministery of the Gospel that is committed to him and he knows it is a Glorious Ministery and he sees much of Jesus Christ in it and the Glory of God shines in it and if he be faithful and hath any love to Christ and Saints and their souls it is impossible but that he must needs be earnest in it Paul was so earnest that the people thought him mad and that in this very Chapter where my text is verse 13. You may think we are besides our selves wel it is for your cause and it is the love of Christ constrains us we cannot but do that we do as the Apostle Peter saith in another pleace So saith any faithful Minister think of it what you wil we cannot but speak what the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ is what it is that we have seen and what it is that we have heard out of the Ministery of the Gosple our selves and the love of Christ constrains us and then in verse 11. knowing therefore the terror of the Lord then much more the grace of the Lord we perswade men If so be that God would but convince you of this that when you heare any thing of the mistery of the Gospel opened to you and any earnestness of spirit manifested in it I say if you were convinced that the ground and principle of it is this the apprehension of the glory of this ministration as it is such in an excellent Ministery Therefore it is that all faithful Ministers of God are so earnest in the ministration of it It would prevaile more with your hearts to receive what is delivered in such a way But we let that pass and come to that which is the maiâ—e in the text CHAP. 60. The fourth Doctrine propounded in the 45. Chapter viz. That God and Christ are exceeding wiling and desirous to be reconciled to sinners As though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled unto God You have not in any scripture that I know more fully set out a more earnest desire of Jesus Christ to be reconciled unto sinners than here is this expression is after the manner of men to express the earnestness of Gods heart in his desires to be reconcilced to sinners and that is our point of doctrine our doctrine shal be the scope of these expressions not the very words but the scope and the ground of it It is this Doct. 4. That God and Jesus Christ is exceeding willing and very desirous to be reconciled unto sinners Now the thing that I am to open to you is to shew this in the several manifestations of it several demonstrations of the willingness and desire that is in God and Christ to be reconciled unto sinners and then answer a question about it why they are not reconciled to God if God be so willing and the like and then for application of it The next point wil come in stead of the Uses That therefore the Ministers of God they should intreat likewise and beseech you and by al means labor to draw your Souls to be reconciled unto God CHAP. 61. The First Argument Manifesting the exceeding willingness of God to be reconciled to sinners FOr the First The willingness of God for Reconciliation with sinners Why God manifests this To begin a little low and then to rise higher God ministers this first by his patience towards sinners in that the Lord is long suffering toward sinners he doth manifest thereby that he is willing to be reconciled the Scripture draws an argument from thence in Rom. 2.4 as if the Apostle should say the patience of God holds this forth unto you that you should come in and repent that so you might obtain mercy from God or otherwise it doth lead you to repentance Except it should hold forth Gods willingness to be reconciled it could not draw the heart to repentance but it leads and this hath a great deal of force to draw the heart of man to repentance Because it holds forth the willingness of God to be reconciled unto sinners If God were not willing to be reconciled to you he would take you off and there were an end of you or at least he would excercise such patience that should not lead you to repentance as he did with the Devils as soon as they had sinned
pleasure in the death of a sinner c. As I live saith the Lord God They were pineing away in their wickedness lying down in their sins now as I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn and therefore turn turn O! turn Why wil ye die As if a poor sinner should lie down and say the Lord is provoked against me and he wil not be reconciled to me No the wrath of God is out against me he wil revenge himself of me the Lord looks upon a sinner lying in this manner and he bids his servants go and say to him the Lord swears by his own life and saith to this sinner As I live I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner I swear by my self because I have no greater to swear by CHAP. 66. The Sixt Argument Manifesting the exceeding willingness of God and Christ to be reconciled to sinners ANother Argument is this wherein God doth manifest in his word that above al works that are pleasing to him and that he would have people most to respect in this world is the work of beleeving in his Son and laying hold upon him and so upon that mercy of his that he doth offer in his Son and that is the great work that he is more pleased withal then al the works they do and not doing that it is the greatest offence whereby they can offend God they cannot offend God more in doing any thing in the world And this shews the willingness of God to be reconciled unto sinners God being pleased with a sinner that doth come in to take hold of his mercy And that you have in John 6.29 This is the work of God that ye beleeve on him whâ—â—â—â—â—ch sent by way of excllency above all other therâ—â—â—â— as if God should say If you should do the 〈◊〉 famous work that ever man did in this world I would not delight in it I would not care for that in comparision of this work of comming in and beleeving in my Son Is there a man that should be the great Conqueror of the whole world a man that were famous in al the world Let a poor Soul a penitent heart come in and close with Gods grace in Jesus Christ and rowl it self upon mercy in Christ for Reconciliation this poor Soul though the meanest that were possible to be immagined in the whole Nation is a more glorious work in Gods Eye then the most glorious work of the greatest Conqueror of the earth If thou wert able to rule the Sea if thou wert able to govern al the world if thou wert able to command the Heavens it would not be such a glorious work in the Eyes of God as that is to come and lay hold upon his Son as he is tendred in the Gospel If you should give al your Almes to the poor and your body to be burnt yet it were nothing to the work of beleeving in his Son In John 3 God is most displeased with not beleeving in his Son As if God should say it 's true you are naturally enemies to me and you have lived in waies of enmity against me O! you have provoked me al your daies when you were yong a drunken unclean prophane Youth a Lyar a Swearer a Sabboth-breaker c. but yet you live to hear the voice of the Gospel sounding in your ears and to have the offer of Jesus Christ to your Souls for the pardon of your sins Now be it known to you al the Oaths that ever you swore al your Blasphemies al your Drunkenness al your Uncleaness al al your Sabboth-breaking put them altogether they wil not provoke me so much as rejecting of my Grace in Jesus Christ that I tender to you That is the condemnation of the world al the other iniquities wil not sink you down so deep in Hel as not comming to beleeve in Jesus Christ to lay hold upon the Grace of God that is tendred to you in the Gospel Now is not God very willing to be reconciled when he shal manifest himself thus unto sinful men CHAP. 67. The Seventh Argument Manifesting the exceeding willingness of God and Christ to be reconciled to Sinners YEt further God manifests himself willing to be reconciled in this that when he sees that notwithstanding al these expressions that have been before that we have spoke of if sinners wil not come in God he wil seek them seeing they wil not seek to him God seeks himself to sinners First that is a point that you have heard before that God is aforehand with us God comes to us because we wil not seek to him If a man be fallen out with another he should come and seek to him but he wil not because he hath such a stout heart Wel saith he that I may convince him that I am not such an austeer man as he conceivs me to be I wil seek to him first and I wil not only seek to him but I wil go to him and beseech him and that you have in the Text Christ is said to come to save and to seek that which was lost we were al lost and we would not seek to him but he was fain to come yea he came from the bosom of his Father He came into the world and his great Errand was to seek those that were lost and when he had found them he beseeches them to be reconciled unto him CHAP. 68. The Eight Argument Manifesting the exceeding willingness of God to be reconciled to sinners FUrther God manifests himself willing to be reconciled in this in the waies of his dealing with wretched sinful men in sending his Grace to allure the hearts of sinners the Lord sends his mercy to spread al the beauty and lustre thereof before the Sons of men al the excellency and Glory of it before the Soul that it may entice the Soul of the sinner to come in unto him he doth not meerly send and seek to him but that he might overcome the hearts of men with love and mercy this is Gods way to cause his mercy to stand before the Soul and to spread the beauty and excellency of it that it move and entice and allure the hearts of men that so God as it were by coards of Love might draw the hearts of poor sinful men unto him If God did but scare men so come in to him it were somwhat but it is this which we have cause to bless God for if the Lord come in never such a terrible way to force us to come in that so there might be made up peace between God and us the Lord besides that way of terror and wrath though somtimes he wil use that way to stop men in the course of their sins and to force them to come in he goes forth and doth send his mercy to stand before the Soul and to spread the beauty excellency and glory of it before the heart of
wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heat I have seen his waies and wil heal him c. Though he went on and was worth yet saith God I have seen his waies and wil heal him I wil not take advantage I wil be content after al their froward rejections of al the offers of Grace yet I wil heal them for al that The frowardness is that that hath reference not only to unprofitableness under afflictions but when one is dealt kindly withal and doth not answer according to his kindness but wil have his own wil such a one doth go on frowardly Now then if we could put al these together that have been named of Gods willingness towards sinners to bring them in to be reconciled to him Oh Lord how infinite would the Grace and goodness of God appeare How were God to be glorified in his Grace I see I cannot possibly come to these things that I have heretofore propounded As what needs al this and the like But that must be done or the reasons why God doth deal thus A word or too at this time for that why God doth do al this why doth God deal thus with sinners in such a manner First It is because mercy pleases him Micha 7.18 there God makes a large promise of pardon of sin because mercy pleaseth him Now that that is pleasing unto any creature that the creature loves to do it and loves to do it to the ful to the height as al pleasure you know to enjoye the creature to eate and drink and sport is very pleasing to a voluptuous man and therefore he doth desire to have this to the ful a large bag of Gold pleases a covetous man therefore he is never satisfied but would have it to the ful Honor pleaseth an ambitious man and therefore he never hath enough so mercy it pleases God and therefore as I may with Holy reverence speak God scarce thinks he hath ever done enough to shew the riches of his Grace Secondly God doth it because the blood of his Son doth cry continually in his eares for mercy and it is of such infinite worth and value and the obedience of his Son in shedding of his bloud it hath been so acceptable unto God and is that whosoever this blood is pleaded for the Lord must needs grant it to the utmost Now it is the blood of Jesus Christ that is shed for sinners that doth plead with God the Father that al this mercy might be shewed It is said in the scripture that the blood of Christ speaks better things than the blood of Abel the blood of Abel cries loude for vengeance vengance Lord against sinners But the blood of Christ cries aloude merrcy mercy Lord for sinners and God heares the cry of his Sons blood What is this that recries The blood of my Son for mercy for sinners let them have mercy yea let them have mercy to the ful Then the fludgates of mercy come to be opened though if it were not for the blood of Christ the patience of God would let out some common favors but when God comes to satisfy the cries of the blood of Christ for mercy saith God open al the fludgates now and let in streams of mercy for sinners let mercy be shewed to the highest degree that can be if the blood of my Son cry for it it must be though it requires wonderful mercy it must be great rich glorious mercy it is not a drop but had need of a Sea of mercies to anwswer it I but saith God the blood of my son cryes for mercy and though there be need of an infinite Ocean of mercy for to clense the soul of such a sinner it must needs be granted because the blood of my son cryes for it When you finde God manifesting himselfe to your souls in waies of mercy it comes from the blood of Jesus Christ that cries to God the father for mercy to be bestowed on you and this is the sum and substance of al these expressions of Gods grace toward sinners We thinke that so be very strange that ever such an infinite God should condescend to sinners but when we come to examin the reason we need not wonder at it we see now from whence it al coms it springs al from the ever living fountaine of the unsearchable rich grace of God in Christ though at the very reading we may wonder that ever God should do so and perhaps some men may think these are but the straynes of ministers to make it so but when we come to understand the bottom the ground of al then we must acknowledge the reality of it no wonder God shews mercy to such souls so unworthy and so vild why Because the blood of his son cryes for mercy CHAP. 55. Christs willingness to be Reconciled to sinners further Opened NOW before we come to answer the Objections or to any application there is yet somthing more to be opened unto you as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in CHRIST'S stead as the heart of God is so set upon it to be reconciled unto sinners so is Jesus Christ it is true Christ is God but Christ and God are here spoken of severally Christ is the same God with the father but he is God and man God incarnate God the mediator between the father and us so that it wil be exceeding useful to shew how the heart of CHRIST is set upon Reconciliation of sinners to God for the Apostle doth come in the name of Christ as wel as of God the father now that the heart of Christ is in it that appears in the understanding of the great worke of Reconciliation That he hath undertaken it and that so willingly as he hath done Certainly if Christ had not been much set upon this work to bring sinners to be reconciled unto the Father he would never have undertaken such a work which he knew would prove so difficult to him and he knew what it would cost him but yet he took it willingly and delightfully and for that compare those two Scriptures the first in Psal 40.7 Then said I Lo I come in the Volume of thy book it is written of me It begins in ver 6. Sacrifice and offerring thou didst not desire mine ears thou didst open burnt offerring and sin offering thou didst not require then said I Lo I come in the Volume of thy book it is written of me I delight to do thy will Oh God It is a Psalm of Christ and a Prophecy of him and that it is of him it appears plainly if you compare the Scripture in Heb. 10. at the beginning and so on there you have the Apostle quoting this very Text only with a little difference in the word Now there are three or four things that are here to be observed of Christ in his willingness to come and undertake the great work of making Attonement between God and sinners Mine Ears hast
when he comes by his stroaks Now because the Lord sees that this is such a way to engage the hearts of sinners to come in unto him therfore he doth not only put forth such an almighty power but comes in such a way as this when the sinner cannot be able to perceive the hand of God that is the almighty power that doth the work yet the sinner can perceive the shining of Gods Grace and his goodness and the expressons of his love and the like this is apparently before the Eyes of the sinner to admire and works upon the heart when the other is more secret Obj. Thirdly If God and Christ be so willing to be reconciled unto sinners then you wil say what is the reason that there are no more reconciled One would think that al sinners in the World should be reconciled to him hee may reconcile al Is it not as easie for God to reconcil one as wel as another God many times tels us that few shal be saved Yea Christ himself tels us so Now this that you have preached about Gods and Christs willingness to be reconciled One would think that al the world should come in to be reconciled otherwise how wil it appear that they are so willing Ans For the answer to that the heart of God Christ are much set uppon Reconciliation with sinners but so as may be suitable to other ends that God hath God wil not have the work of his mercy manifested so as it shal crosse any other work that he hath to do so farr as the Glory of his mercy may be manifested without crossing of some other work that God hath to do so farr it is let out not to al. Why Because it wil not be suitable to some other ends that God hath to bring about that he should be reconciled unto al sinners Object You wil say to other ends Why Do Gods ends crosse one another If Gods Heart be for Reconciliation with sinners how should this Cross any other thing that God hath to do Answ For answer though things may seem to us one to be cross to the other yet there is a blessed concord in Gods ends and his waies and it wil appear plainly one day before the Children of men and Angels and it wil be the great work of God hereafter to manifest that those things that seem most to be cross one to another yet wil be very Advantagious and assisting to the Promoting and Coronation of this blessed work As it is in the Heavens there is the motion of the Heavens they have one motion by which they are carryed one way and there are the Starres they have another particular motion of their own and yet there is a concord in the motions of the Heavens In any work that a man doth as in a Clock there is one wheel that runs one way so farr and another meets with it they seem to run quite contrary waies and yet take them altogether and they do al run to the end that the work is intended for and yet seem to go contrary the Cross going of the wheels is the right going of the Clock So God seems to work in the works of his Grace one way and in the works of his justice another way and they seem to go quite contrary one to the other But the truth is they worke al to the end that the workman makes it for here is the Grace and mercy of God thus manifested in entreating and beseeching sinners to be reconciled It goes thus far and then when it hath had its ends then comes the stroak of Gods justice and that striks another way and al makes to the beauty of the work of God that he might have glory in al So though God be thus earnest yet it is no Argument that al sinnners should be reconciled because it appeares to be the beauty of Gods work which shal appear another day the work of mercy thus farr and the work of justice so farr this we are not able to understand throughly now but it is left to the great day to be understood Further It may be answered that these expressions are cheifly intended towards those that belong to his eternal election but revealed in such a general way as none should exclude himself therefore the charge of the Ministers of the Gospel is to preach to every creature because we do not know who they be that do belong to the election but it is for the sake of Gods elect ones that these things are reconciled in such a ful way as they are such things should be taught in a Congregation where there are many thousands but if there be but a few that beloâ—g to the election of Grace God aimes at them most though he may aime at the other too for to lessen their sins and somtimes to aggravate them Yet know if there be but a few that it is for you and for your sake that these things are preacht and these may serve to answer to those objections CHAP. 79. Use 1. Admire Gods infinite Grace in enterating to be reconciled to sinners Considering 1. What it is God intreats for 2. Who are intreated 3. By whom you are intreated 4. What need hath God of you USE IN the first place upon al what hath been said of the willingness of God and Christ to be reconciled unto sinners that they thus do entreate sinners we are taught First to stand and admire at the infinite riches of the â—â—ace of God and espeically you who have felt this work of God effectually upon your Hearts You who have found God wooing and suing to your hearts give God the glory of his Grace and admire at it It were mercy for the Lord once to offer upon any terms to be reconciled unto sinners or to shew them any favor Meerly to offer it that is grace that is to be admired and that is more than God hath done to the Angels he would not do so much to them But now that God should not only offer but send to feek after thee to cry after you again and again to be importunate with you to entreate and beseech not only by his Ministers but by this own spirit for there is the work of that the spirit of God comes and woos and beseeches sinners to come in and be reconciled Oh stand and admire at this forever Let it take up your hearts to give glory to him and the rather if you consider these four things First What it is that God doth entreate and beseech for What is it that you are entreated to do That that shal deliver you from the greatest evil that any creature is capable of and that whereby you would receive the greatest good that any creature is capable of you are entreated not to be miserable but to be happy and not only that you should serve God and not sin against God and do the works that God requires of you for his glory but you
are entreated to be reconciled to deliver your Souls from that depth of misery and to be brought unto happiness and glory Secondly Consider who you are that are intreated Were there any great worth in you Then you might expect to be entreated as men that are of great estates they must be entreated But who are you wretched Caitiffes in your selves damned Dust and Ashes fire-brands of hel such as have made your selves fuel for the everlasting wrath of the eternal God to burne upon such as deserve to be cast out as an everlasting curse enemies to God you are intreated And by whom are you intreated Even by God himself and Christ that is God blessed for ever Even that infinite glory before whom Angels adore before whom they cover their faces even him who by one word of his mouth is able to send you al presently down to Hell even this God commeth to entreat and that Christ whom Angels do Adore even that Christ comes to entreate For the Servant to entreate his Master for the subject to entreate the prince is not so much but for the Maister to entreate the Servant for the prince to entreate the subject this is that that should fil our Souls with a spirit of admiration at the unspeakable condescentions of the most blessed Majesty Thirdly what need hath God of you though you should perish and die eternally it is no great matter to him God might have his glory out of your eternal ruine But to that end that he might break your Hearts therefore he doth entreate and beseech Oh admire at the riches of his Grace and give him the glory that is due unto him begin to do that here that you must do to al eternities when you come into his glorious presence in Heaven CHAP. 80. VSE 2. And 3. SEcondly The more God doth manifest this his grace the more desperatly wicked is the heart of man to stand out against God Oh! wretched cursed heart that can stand out against God that can stand out against the the offer of grace in the Gospel I say this is a cursed heart to stand out against the offer of grace though it were no more If this should be but declared that Christ is come into the world to save sinners God expects that al those to whom Christ is so revealed that they should come flocking unto him and cry mightily unto God for mercy in Christ but when God doth not only offer his son but comes by the Ministry of his word and by the work of his spirit to draw your hearts unto him and ye thou dost stand out against God against al these gracious beginings drawings and melting expressions of God thou dost stand out Oh! Cursed stubborn hard heart that should stand out against al these Thou canst not now pleade Oh! tentation was strong to draw my heart from God to such and such sinful waies Was tentation strong Why did ever tentation draw more alluringly than God hath drawn alluringly by his gospel It is impossible that the Devil and al the world should draw more alluringly to any sin than God doth draw unto him Oh! these entreatings of God this gratious way toward sinners is that that wil be the greatest aggravation of the sins of men that ever was or can be imagined Only for the present know thus much that the mercies of God that shal be the subject of the Saints rejoycing and blessing of his name to al eternity that mercy wil be thy greatest misery and that is a sad thing for any sinner to think on that that mercy that the Saints shal be eternally admiring and blessing God for that that should be my misery and secret wound and my greatest terror and that is the second thing VSE 3. Oh! rebuke thine own wretched heart that hath stood out so long against God as thou hast done al thy daies Certainly the consideration of this of standing out against any command of God when God comes to enlighten a mans Conscience and the Soul doth come to understand with whom he hath to deal it hath a mighty power to break the heart of man That when I come to see that I have stood out against al those loving drawings al those woings of the Gospel it is that that wil rent your hearts Rent your hearts and not your garments for the Lord is merciful that is not only a breaking of the heart but a rending of the heart when the Grace of God doth appear to it CHAP. 81. Use 4. To strengthen our Faith if God were reconciled when we were enemies he wil not cast us off for every infirmity Objections Answered FOurthly The Consideration of this may be a mighty strength to the Faith of those sinners that have in some measure been wrought upon by the Grace of God Thus if the Lord hath manifested such abundance of strength of Spirit in seeking to sinners to be reconciled then certainly when sinners are reconciled the heart of God wil forever be with them he wil not lose the fruit of such Grace as this if once he hath brought in and that in such a way of mercy Christ having brought it it cannot be any easie thing that shal take off Gods heart from thee there was the goodness of God towards Adam in Paradice I but it was not so much goodness of God unto him as could not admit of any breach beween God and him But the heart of God is so much in this work in bringing sinners to be reconciled unto him as it is impossible that ever there should be such a breach between them and him again that ever they should prove to be enemies Therefore let this strengthen thy heart when at any time thou begin'st to have jelous thoughts of God have recourse to thy first calling to God I went on not many years ago in a wreatched sinful way but God came to me and shewed me my evil way and shewed me his Grace Yea when I stood out against his Grace he followed me and would not let me be at quiet but manifested it more and more and hath overcome my heart unto himself How can I think that God that hath done so before that now he should take advantage upon every infirmity that now every sin that he sees in me should make such breaches between him and my soul that he should cast me from him Can I think it Certainly it is a wrong to the Grace of God in the Gospel Object I but you wil say here is the evil That upon my loose walking I cannot think that ever things were in truth that I was truly converted Answ To that I answer but these two things First that if thou canst but be able to say thus in the presence of God the Lord knows that there is no weapon of enmity in my heart that is against God that God reveals unto me to be a sin but I know my heart is against it I can appeal to God so and
Gods intentions in his Goodness to his saints it is to raise up to himselfe an eternal name of praise and honor in the world and not only here but in heaven in the highest heavens eternally that is Gods scope not only in some mercies but observe it in every mercy that God bestowes upon a saint upon his children I say every mercy every outward mercy God hath this end in it to raise up him self a name of eternal praise by it and therefore despise no mercy though it be never so little for Gods end in the least mercy thou hast in every crum of bread thou eatest it is to raise up himself an eternal name of praise even from that mercy but take the greatest mercy that God bestowes upon the veriest worldling through his general bounty God hath not such an end in it as he hath in this God may take notice of them for a while and there is an end of them but in his Goodness towards his people there God intendeth a glorious edifice to raise up a building that shal be to his eternal praise and therefore when as one layeth a stone to raise up a high building he laies it so as he fitteth it for another stone to be laid upon it if I lay some ruins of a building but only a heap of stones I care not how I lay them but if I intende to rais up a building then I lay one stone as it may prepare for another So doth God in his dealing with the wiked he heaps his mercies upon them let them come as they wil but when he dispenseth his mercy to his people then he intendeth a building and he laies them in that order and in that ranke first one and then another so as when he hath laid one if we understand what that mercy is one may see an empression in that mercy for another as it were caling for another mercy to be laid upon it These are the special grounds why Gods mercies to his people are but preparations for further and further mercies but because I would not be hindered especially in the close of this I wil pass by any thing that may be further spoken concerning the grounds Obj. But you wil say we see it otherwise and we find it otherwise that there are usually interruptions in Gods mercies even to his peopel when God cometh to deal in a way of mercy to his Church he goes a little way and then he stoppeth and then there cometh heavy Judgments after them heavy afflictions presently Ans Now for the answering of that 1. We are to know that we must of necessity grant that there may be some interruptions for the present in Gods mercies to his people but there is a difference between interruption and cutting off it may seem for the present to be interrupted but it runs under ground stil and hath it's course as they say there is a river that runs fifty miles under the ground and there cometh up again so it may be with Gods mercies towards his people though they see them not His Children have their portions in his Judgments many times God cometh in a Judgment and then he lets the wicked prosper I but his Justice hath it's course under ground and runs out of sight and comes up again that is very observable and may concerne our present occasion for our instruction in Gods dealing with his peopel in bringing of them out off captivity and repairing the wal and the Temple God had made many glorious promises to his people what he would do for them in returning them from captivity and building of their city again wel after the seventy yeares came God did begin to worke wonderfully gloriously for them but if you observe a little and read the story you may finde that between their begining to returne from the captivity and the finishing of Gods mercy in building the Temple and the wal they were as long a time as they were in their captivity That was seventy years they were seaenty years in captivity and from the beginning of the worke of their restoring to the end of it they were seventy years more but stil the goodness of God ran along there was an eye of mercy and goodness upon them though it seemed to cease for the present yet it caried it through at the last It may much concerne us now we are ready to be discontented and troubled when God is in a way of reformation because we have not al presently al is not come now just when we would have it we are ready to complain O! How long hath the parliament bin set and litle hath bin done why it was Gods way with his own people though they had such particular promises of that glorious deliverance yet it was seventy years before it was fully accomplished and if God be but in a way of mercy towards us but a going on you have but a little now now and a litle another time yet we are not to repine at this for stil mercy is going on though there may be interruption for the present But further 2. Many times we thinke there is an interruption when indeed there is none at al but our mistake if we did but understand things we should see a most beautiful concatination of mercyes and connection of mercies there is no interruption yea further 3. The very interruption that we think there is may be one of our greatest mercies Gods ceasing in comunicating one kind of mercy may be but a preperation for another kind of mercy for a greater mercy and therefore we are not to be discouraged 4. We are to consider that though this be the goodness of God to his people yet he doth expect that his people should go on with him in the way of his goodness should close with him in the way of his mercy or otherwise there may be a great interruption for the present in Hosea 7.1 God complaineth thereof his people saith he when I would have healed Israel then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered when I would have healed them God many times is in a way just of healing his people and when he would have healed them when he is in a way of mercy and he expects that they should follow him in this way of Mercy why then their iniquity is discovered and then they break out into notorious iniquities and sins and they come and make a stop and shut the door of mercy against them so that I say as we are to be warned in regard of our publique sins now God is in a gratious way of publique mercies there was never a time wherein we had need of more warning to be watchful to take heed what we do that our iniquity may not be discovered for now God is about to heal us he is thinking to heal us Oh! let us now take heed of our lives and so it should be particularly the care of every soul Is God about to heale is
upon their death beds when Gods justice is out against them and Gods wrath upon them and they see themselves plunging into the bottomless gulfe then they wil pray and cry for mercy Oh! thou shewest thy selfe to be a stranger to the waies of God and to the minde of God and to the covenant of God if thou wert one of Gods people then thou wouldest know that when God is in a way of Mercy then is the best time of praying for one Mercy lets in another and then is the best time of praying I would argue thus Is it more likely that God when the day of his patience and longe sufering continues to thee that then he should deny thee mercy I say is it like he should deny thee mercy then and yet when the day of his wrath and justice cometh then he should bestow Mercy upon thee what an absurd apprehension of things is here Thou criest God wil deny thee Mercy and grace now now is the day of his long-suffering patience and wil he deny it now and yet is he like to give it thee when the day of his wrath and justice cometh upon thy sick bed and death bed that may be the day of vengance of wrath If thou hast wisdome to thy soul seeke God whilst Mercy is coming and while he is in a way of Mercy that is the fittest time to pray and therefore take it this day and be convinced you carnal hearts that have no minde to pray but when they are in their afflictions but those hearts are most spiritual that can pray most when God is coming most in mercy to them but the time of affliction is the most unlikly time of getting any thing from God I had thought to have spoken divers things about that USE 2. If this be so when God is in a way of mercy one mercy wil let out another hence al the Saints of God are taught and admonished to observe and take diligent notice of the connexion of Gods mercies towards them for certainly this is Gods way to them one mercy maketh way for another and if thou belongest to God that hath been his way to thee all thy life time even from his Electing thee only now it is thy duty to be observant how God hath made one mercy a door of hope to another mercy and it is a special work to observe Gods waies towards a Christian a special work of the Sabbath many of you especially you that are not book-learned you say you know not how to spend the Sabbath after the publique exercise is done but must walk up and down the streets c. here is a work for them that are not book-learned to spend the Sabbath in If thou beest godly then sometimes every Sabbath recollect all the waies of Gods merciful providence towards thee ever since thy Youth and Childhood and how one hath had a connexion to another how one mercy hath let in another mercy and that lets in a third and that third a fourth and you shal see how the track of Gods goodness hath been towards you al your daies and that wil be a most sweet meditation for you wherein God shal have a great deal of Glory the 92. Psalme is a Psalme appointed for the Saâ—â—ath and you shal find that it is a Psalme of contemplation of the works of God and the waies of Gods mercies trwards his people it is a special way to understand the connexion of things and the connexion of causes how one cause hath dependance upon another cause and that upon another and that upon another and this is the difference between Sence and Reason the bruit Beasts that have only sence they taste the sweetness of a thing but they never enquire after the cause but now the more rational any man is the more desires kindle in him to find out the connexion of causes If this be a sweet thing to a soul in a natural way to find out the connexion of causes O! how sweet is it to a gracious soul to find out the connexion and concatination of al the mercies and goodnesses of the Lord towards him in al the passages of his life and do it the rather because that the truth is Brethren this that I am speaking of now it is that wherein a principal part of the glorious inheritance of the Saints consisteth in the glory of Heaven wherein the happiness of the glorified souls there shal consist it wil be this that eternal Sabbath that shal be spent in Heaven wil amongst other things be spent in this work that I am speaking of in a contemplation of al the connexion and concatination of Gods merces towards those that are now in Heaven Now they have been connected and concatinated ever since they have had a being and so brought up to that height of glory Oh! what an infinite content the Saints shal have when God shal reveal al when they shal see into the councels of God and the wil of God so freely and into al his waies how they were chosen from al eternity and so to eternity and there they shal see every passage of Providence that they did not understand the meaning of before how it made way to such a mercy and that to another and that to another and so til they were brought to that fulness of glory they shal I say be eternally contemplating thus of the connexion of Gods mercies and praising and blessing of God that did thus work and coennex things together for their good If thou hopest to come to Heaven to be thus excercised to give God glory there Oh! begin this work here for we pray Gods wil may be done on earth now as it is done in Heaven As on the contrary it wil be a great part of the torment of the damned that they shal there see how one work of Justice made way for another how one passage of Gods Providence made way to one Judgment and that to another and that to another and so til they were plunged into the bottomless pit for ever and the very sight how God wrought from one to another wil be torment enough to them Wel that is the Second to consider of the connexion of Gods mercies A Third Use of the Point is this USE 3. If this be so hence we are taught to entertain every mercy of God kindly and to make much of al Gods mercies if we belong to God every mercy comes but as a Messenger of further mercy Oh! entertain it wel entertain it kindly imbrace it make good use of it Indeed when the Prophet Elisha knew the Messenger of the King came to do mischief to him he bids them entertain him roughly at the door hardly at the door but Brethren every mercy that cometh to us if we be godly it cometh as a Messenger of good tidings it cometh to bring more mercy with it and therefore let us entertain it kindly at the door let us
entertain it kindly for certainly it wil make way for further mercy that shal be the Third And then the fourth is this USE 4 The consideration of this point may cause abundance of humiliation to our hearts cause exceeding sad thoughts if this be so that one mercy of God makes way to another one mercy if it be sanctified and have the blessing of God with it it is a door of hope to another hence when we look backwards to these waies of Gods mercies that have been heretofore towards us and look to the oppertunities that we have had of obtaining further mercy from God and consider how we have lost them when God was in a way with us Oh! that should draw tears of blood from us look back to thy life I suppose there is never one in this congregation but in looking back to the waies of Gods providence to them they cannot but cry Oh! the Lord was once in a way of mercy to me there was a time that certainly God was merciful to me Nay not only in outwad mercies such and such deliverances I had at such a time Oh! had I followed those mercies What might I have gotten when I was crying to God for deliverance God heard me God hath delivered me delivered my family now God as it were was in a way of mercy to me O! had I followed that then what might I have gotten but I neglected the opportunity I lost it and now God is in another way with me but especially when you look back to the opportunities that you have had for the good of your souls hath not God many times bin in a way of mercy to your souls Oh! was not there such a time when you began to have frequent workings of Gods spirit in you you began to have light darted into your Consciences to have the spirit of God drawing your hearts that when you came to the word you found the word coming with power and the spirit of God sealing it and your hearts did begin to yeild and to melt before God Oh! what might you have gotten if you had gone on if you had followed God in those convictions of conscience and in those beginnings of troubles you had and workings of Gods spirit what might you have come to now There was a door of hope but fooles and wretched men to stick in the birth and come not forth and alas May not many say Oh! that I had a door of hope there was such a mercy of God towards me but wo to me the door is shut I find my heart shut up and my conscience shut up and my heart now is hard but it was beginning to be softened but Oh! how hard it is now God was opening my heart but now it is otherwise with me and for ought I know God is gone and Christ is gone I had a day if I had knowen it Oh! it had been happy for many in this place if they had at such a time followed God when he was in a way of Mercy If it may be when God was in a way of mercy to thee thou haddest had a heart to go into thy closet and there cried to God to follow on that Good work that he had begun and to make it effectual to thee this had been a gracious work to thy soul but thou wentest away into thy shop into thy calling perhaps into the Tavern or Alehouse to thy gaming to thy company and so nâ—glectedest the day of Grace there was a door of hope but there was another door thou haddest a mind rather to follow than to follow God in the way of mercy I wil not say that there is no door of hope for thee for there may be a door of hope but this I wil say that thy condition is a lamentable and most greivous condition and thou haddest need look to it for this consideration sinketh the hearts of men and women afterwards If thou shouldest come to thy sick bed or death bed perhaps thy conscience wil preach that to thee that now I am preaching to thee and then thy conscience wil give ananswer it is true there was a door of hope opened to me and then if any Minister come to offer Mercy I you wil say it is for those that have a time of Mercy but God did open my heart and I did shut my heart against him and these thoughts and conclusions are the despairing and sinking thoughts of men and women upon their sick beds and if God never had been coming towards me there might have been some hope but what hope is there now for me Oh! take heed for time to come any of you if God be coming in a way of Mercy if this day by the word at this time he begin to open any of your hearts labor to follow him to go in at this door of hope Wel that is the fourth again fiftly from this point learn this USE 5. If one Mercy be but an inlet to another Mercy then this should teach al the people of God to be content to beare one affliction though it be but a way making for another affliction the argument runs thus It is true there cometh an affliction and by and by another and that makes way for another and so the cloudes rise after the raine and how many poor weak hearts are plunged and dejected they can bear one affliction I but when another cometh and another cometh at length they fal down under the weight of their afflictions but if thou be one that belongest to God and hast the assurance of this point that I have this day been preaching to thee then use it as an argument to uphold thy heart It is true one affliction cometh after another and one affliction maketh way for another and hath not one mercy come after another too and hath not one mercy made way for another too I am sure I have had mercies thick and three fold and one hath made way for another and though I have new afflictions making way one for another yet let me beare them considereing how long a time I have had mercies making way one for another yet further in the sixt place the sixt Use of this may be of great conscequence too VSE 6. That if this be the way of God towards his people that one mercy shal make way for another then it should be the way of the people of God towards him again that one duty should make way for another duty there is a great deal of reason for it If God be thus gratious to us that one mercy maketh way for another then we should be so thankful to him that one duty of ours should make way for another duty and this brethren is a most excellent thing that one duty maketh way for another duty as I told you before when a duty is accounted a mercy then it wil certainly persevere and so take this second note of persevering comeing in here when one duty
of mercy but now if thou hadst a heart to observe the beginings of Gods mercy and to pray when he begins to open the doore and let in a little light and so to follow God thou mightest have been free from the spirit of bondage long ere now But I must leave particular applications now and come to the more general and therefore seeing that this is the thing our condition requires we must venture upon it at least now though I should never doe any other thing I could not forbeare at this time that God hath opened a doore of mercy a doore of hope to us to al England I suppose every one sees it and among the people of God it is the mater of their discourse when they come together Now what is it that should be our care O! that this doore be never shut that now our iniquities lock it not now to follow God on in the way of his mercy that is brethren a blessed doore of hope and I may compare this doore of hope to that doore that leads into the holy place 1. Kings 7.50 the text saith That the hinges of gold for the doors of the inner house that door that went into the holy place it had the hinges of gold Bretheren those worthies of our land that God hath called unto our Parliamentary Asembly they are the hinges of our door and blessed be God they are not iron hinges thaâ— they have not rigid rugged spirits not at al to regard the cries of the oppressed no they have been unto us as hinges of gold our door of hope doth hang upon hinges of gold If I were at this time to speak to that Assembly those that are the hinges of our doore to those that are our door-keepers the door-keepers of this Door of hope yea rather those that are even this doore it selfe unto us were I to speake to them I would seek to lay the great charge of that mighty trust that is committed unto them upon them never any Assembly in the world had opportunities of greater mercy from God to his people than these have were I to speake to them I should seeke to perswade that as ever they would have God open to any of their souls for themselves or their posterity when they shal knock at Gods door of mercy that they would be faithful in keeping the door of hope open unto us that we might enter comfortably into it I should cry unto them that they would set open their own hearts open ye gates be ye opened ye everlasting doores that Christ the King of Glory might enter into your hearts families be set up there but because I am not to speake to them but to you this day I shal direct my selfe unto you in that that is sutable to this auditory I am preaching to The exhortation of God to you is that you would take notice of the great work of God in this doore of hope that you would give him the glory that you would praise his name for his wonderous works declare that his name is nigh and therefore praise him that you would seek God now earnestly when he is in a way of mercy O! that you would seeke to praise him now and praise him as much as ever you can that you would close with God in the great work that God is about that according to your several places and rankes you would further the great worke that God hath opened a door unto that now you would bestir you while God is stirring in a way of mercy be you al stirring in a way of endeavours according unto the mercy God hath sent that your hearts might be up and kept up as Gods heart is up at this time and be kept up for ever and to that ende that your hearts might be a little stirred to further the work of God and towards keeping open this door take these Considerations 1. That door of hope that now we have Oh! it is a door that God hath opened after much knocking Oh! there hath been rapping at Heavens gate mighty knocking 's there before this door was opened Oh! the prayers of the Saints that have been put up for to get open this door they have knocked again and again and it hath seemed to be barred against them at length prayer hath got open the door as God promised Knock and it shal be opened This day that word is â—ulâ—illed towards us we have knocked and the door is opened now that door that is opened by such knocking 's O! whaâ— great pitty it were it should be shut again through our â—emissness 2. It is a door of hope opened to us now when as but a little while since we have hâ—d a door of fears and miseries and wrath and wickedness superstition and Idolatry even set wide open this was a door not long since Oh! did not God open a door to us so as if he would let in al wrath and miseries What fears had we What kind of communion had we when we met together What shal we do Where shal we go the hand of God is against us you were afraid that God would let ih a deluge of misery and at that door let in al his wrath upon us and not only so but a door open for al kind of wickedness al superstition Idolatry cruelty What a door was there open not long since we may apply that place of Jer. 23.15 where the Prophet saith Prophaneness is gone through the whole Land from the Prophets from wicked and scandalous Ministers and others Oh! what superstition and prophaneness went throughout our Land there was a door open from them to al wickedness such a door as might bring al kind of wickedness Now that we that had the mouth of such a door laid open upon us should now have a door of hope opened to us Oh! praised and blessed be the name of God! shal we be unfaithful now to God in this way of mercy towards us 3. Consider that we have this door of hope opened to us after that we have been unfaithful after the opening of other doors how many doors have we shut to our selves hertofore We have had many doores of hopes other Parliaments before yet we not following of God we did wretchedly and wickedly shut these doors upon God and upon our selves and yet that God should open yet another door unto us Oh Gracious God! as they cryed at the laying of the foundation of the Temple Praise Praise so we may say now though the work be not done as we desire yet at the beginning of it we may cry praise praise 4. This door of hope was opened to us when in our own thoughts we give al up for lost when we even thought in our selves that God had for eternity shut the door against us Oh! how have the ministers of God in former times been crying up judgments and our guilty consciences did close with those truths and say
the sinner that so it might allure the sinner to come in so God speaks of his people in the 2 Hosea the 14. There was a great breach between Israel and God at the time and God to make up the breach when he would be pacified towards Israel he expresses it in this manner Therefore behold I wil allure her and in the 11. of Hos 4. mark I draw them with the cords of a man and with the coards of love I delt with them in a suitable way because that mans Nature had rather be drawn than driven and cannot so wel bear to be driven with violence as to be drawn by love Therefore saith God I wil deal with them according to their own Nature and in a suiteable way I draw them with the coards of a man and with bonds of Love here are the gracious expressions of God unto wretched sinners to break their hearts that they may come in and be reconciled to him God takes away the terror of his greatness and comes in loving and sweet waies to draw the hearts of sinners I appeal unto your consciences have not you that know what it is to be reconciled unto God had the Lord setting the riches of his Grace before your Soules have not you seen the alluring attributes of God presented before you to gain your hearts unto himself CHAP. 69. The Ninth Argument Manifesting the exceeding willingness of God to be reconciled to sinners ANother is this that the Lord is willing to yeild unto his creatures as farr as may be to yeild to the creature I say as farr as he can with honor for such is the way of the Gospel in bringing sinners to God that God hath yeilded to his creatureâ— as farr as can be conceived to be done with honor he cannot deny himself and his Glory But take it thus farr that God must have his Glory it is impossible that God should yeild further to the creature than he hath done Whereas God might have required satisfaction in our own persons he hath yeilded to this I wil take it in another this is the condition of the Covenant of Grace from that of the Covenant of works the covenant of works required perfect obedience in our own persons so that if we did not obey it required saitsfaction of us Now in the covenant of Grace there is a high consideration as it were God is content to take it in a suerty He wil be content for our parts if there be uprightness if there be but endeavors if there be but willingness of heart though he sees that we do provoake him day by day wel saith God whereas I stood upon perfect obedience in the Covenant of works now saith God I wil he satisfied with the wil for the deed if there be but uprightness of heart though there be many weaknesses yet I wil be willing and content with that Now doth not a man shew himself willing to be reconciled unto another when he shal say wel let there be any terms propounded that can be I wil yeild to any tearms so far as I can with honor I must not dishonor my self but so farr as can be I yeild God hath done thus he professes to the world that so far as he can he hath yielded to us Now if we should not except of the termes that he requires for they are such tearms so reasonoble so equal that cannot be imagined less there cannot be less required of the Creature then is by the Creator Object You say beleeving is a great matter But consider it in its selfe it is not such a great matter but only in relation unto Christ in its own nature it is but as a poor begger that puts forth his hand to take the almes and it is God that gives it to us two Now if we do any thing what can we do less then receive espeâ—ially when we have a hand given us by God wherewith to receive as if a begger had an alms promised him if he would come and take it Oh! but saith the begger I am lame I cannot go and my hand is withered I cannot stretch it forth Wel he that would give the alms saith he wil help the beggar thither he wil help him to legs to go and he wil heal his hand and give it strength whereby he shal put it forth to receive the alms only do not strugle against me do not resist me I wil be with you you shal leane upon mee I wil give you stilts Is not here as much consideration as can be and so it is in the work of reconciliation of sinners unto God he gives alms and he gives the hand wherewith to receive it CHAP. 70. The tenth argument Manifesting the exceeding wilingness of God and Christ to be reconciled to sinners And then the Lord manifests his willingness to be reconciled unto sinners in this he doth profess unto sinners that the greatest sins that ever they have committed shal not be a hinderance to bear of this work of reconciliation The Lord I say professes this to sinners he sends his messengers to tel them that though perhaps they may be conscious to themselves of some vile thing that they have committed whereby they may think that God wil never pass by that sin But God to take away the objection that they shal never be able to say so he doth make that as cleer as any thing in this world that there is not the greatest sin that ever thou hast committed except that one against the Holy Spirit no other sin shal barre or hinder the work of thy reconciliation and certainly where that sin is committed the heart wil never desire to come in to be reconciled to God but flies in the face of God to revenge himself upon God But if thou hast a heart that desires to come in to God that is an infallible argument that thou hast not committed that sin I might give you a great many Scriptures for this to shew that God professes that there is not any sin that shal make the bar in the way between him and thee in Isa 1 18. Come now let us reason together saith the Lord c. Yea come now let us reason together Thus God deals in a familiar way with sinners as if a Malefactor were before the Prince shaking quivering and trembling fearing that the Prince would have his life being conscious to himself of abundance of evil that he hath been guilty of and the Prince should go and take him by the hand and say Come let us rise up let us reason together though your offences be great yet that shal not be a bar between you and me This is that we have authority to proclaime even in the name of the Lord God of Heaven and to every poor soul and to the worst of sinners and to the greatest of sinners that are here or can be heer now before the Lord in his name this we say there is nothing past